Eligibility
A Virginia-Sired horse is a horse registered with The Jockey Club, conceived in Virginia, foaled outside the state and sired by a Virginia stallion registered with the Virginia Thoroughbred Association.
To Register A Virginia-Sired Horse
Virginia Sired Fee Schedule
one-time registration fee for the lifetime of the registered horse
| VTA MEMBER | Non-Member | |
|---|---|---|
| Virginia Sired | $25 | $125 |
To register by mail, please submit the following materials:
- A completed and signed Virginia-Sired application form for each horse to be registered.
- A check payable to the Virginia Thoroughbred Association (VTA) for the applicable registration fee.
Send all materials to the VTA office:
Virginia Thoroughbred Association
250 West Main Street, Suite 100
Charlottesville, VA 22902
Once the registration process is completed, a Virginia-sired letter will be emailed to the applicant. Registration is valid for the life of the horse.
Virginia Sired Owner Benefits
- Owners of registered Virginia-Sired horses are eligible for an up to 25% Owner’s Bonus for winning non-Virginia-restricted races at any racetrack in the Mid-Atlantic region (NY, NJ, PA, DE, WV*, MD). This also includes non-Virginia-restricted wins at sanctioned National Steeplechase Association meets in the Mid-Atlantic region (NY, NJ, PA, DE, WV*, MD, VA). The bonus paid will be calculated as a percentage of the lesser of 60% of the published purse on the overnight or the published 1st place purse on the chart. There is a $10,000 cap on each individual award. *Beginning with foals of 2023, bonuses will not be earned for wins in West Virginia.
- Owners of all registered Virginia-Sired foals earn a 50% bonus when their Virginia-Sired horse finishes 1st – 4th in an open race at Colonial Downs. The 50% bonus payment will be part of the horse’s purse earnings.
- Registered Virginia-Sired horses are eligible for all Virginia-restricted races.
Virginia Sired Developer Benefits
- A DEVELOPER is defined as the person or entity listed on the chart as owner when a Virginia-Sired horse makes its first start.
- Developers of registered Virginia-Sired foals of 2021 and after are eligible for an up to 25% Developer’s Bonus for winning non-Virginia-restricted races at any racetrack in the Mid-Atlantic region (NY, NJ, PA, DE, WV*, MD, VA). This also includes non-Virginia-restricted wins at sanctioned National Steeplechase Association meets in the Mid-Atlantic region (NY, NJ, PA, DE, WV*, MD, VA). The bonus paid will be calculated as a percentage of the lesser of 60% of the published purse on the overnight or the published 1st place purse on the chart. There is a $10,000 cap on each individual award. *Beginning with foals of 2023, bonuses will not be earned for wins in West Virginia.
- Registered Virginia-Sired horses are eligible for all Virginia-restricted races.
Please note that you do not have to be a member of the VTA at the time of registering your horse. However, you will need to be a member in order to collect any Owners Bonus award. If the owner is not a current member of the VTA at the time the bonus money is earned, $100 will be deducted from the bonus amount and the owner of the horse will be made a member of the VTA. A current W-9 must be on file at the VTA office before bonus money will be distributed. To become a member, please click the button below.
DISCLAIMER: Nothing contained herein creates a contractual obligation for payment of any award or bonus by the VTA or any other entity. The VTA’s receipt of sufficient funding for the bonus or award is a condition precedent to any obligation it may have to pay any award or bonus. The VTA reserves the right at any time, with or without notice, and in its sole discretion to (i) change the amount of the bonus or award or (ii) cease paying bonuses or awards.