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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3990 FILED ON: 1/17/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 347
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Tackey Chan
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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act further regulating thoroughbred breeding.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Tackey Chan2nd Norfolk1/17/2025 1 of 4
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3990 FILED ON: 1/17/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 347
By Representative Chan of Quincy, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 347) of Tackey
Chan for legislation to further regulate thoroughbred breeding. Consumer Protection and
Professional Licensure.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)
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An Act further regulating thoroughbred breeding.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 SECTION 1. Section 2 of Chapter 128 of the General Laws is hereby amended by
2striking out subsection (g) and inserting in place thereof the following subsection:-
3 (g) Promote, develop and encourage through the Massachusetts thoroughbred breeding
4program, the breeding of thoroughbred horses in the commonwealth by offering incentives to
5breeders of such horses in the following manner: in consultation with the Massachusetts Gaming
6Commission, the Massachusetts Thoroughbred Breeders Association, Inc. shall, from time to
7time notify the director of racing the set percentages for: (i) incentives to be awarded to the
8breeder of a Massachusetts-bred thoroughbred horse of the purse money won by that
9thoroughbred horse in a pari-mutuel running horse race if the horse finishes first, second or third;
10(ii) incentives to the owner of the stallion, at the time of service to the dam of such purse winner;
11provided, however, that: (1) the stallion shall have been registered by February 15 and stood the
12entire breeding season for that year in the commonwealth; (2) the horse shall have finished first, 2 of 4
13second or third; and (3) the stallion shall be registered with the Massachusetts Thoroughbred
14Breeders Association, Inc. and shall not be registered to stand in any other state that year; and
15(iii) incentives for the purse monies won by the thoroughbred horse in any unrestricted or
16restricted pari-mutuel running horse race held within or outside the commonwealth to the owner
17of a Massachusetts-bred or accredited horse if the horse finishes first, second, or third.
18 The Massachusetts Thoroughbred Breeders Association, Inc. may pay incentives for
19races to be limited to Massachusetts-bred and accredited thoroughbred race horses from the
20Massachusetts thoroughbred breeding program at licensed pari-mutuel race meetings in
21consultation with the Massachusetts Gaming Commission and the division of racing, and to pay
22incentives to encourage breeding in the commonwealth. Such races may be betting or non-
23betting races and may or may not be scheduled races by the licensee conducting the racing
24meeting. Purse monies paid by the Massachusetts Thoroughbred Breeders Association under this
25section may be in such amounts as the association shall determine and may be the sole purse for
26such races or may be supplemental to the purses established by the licensee; provided, however,
27that such discretion shall include the discretion of the Association to set an overall cap on
28incentives earned.
29 No person shall be eligible for any incentives provided herein unless the following
30standards are met:
31 (i)(1) The foal of a thoroughbred mare that drops the foal in the commonwealth and is
32bred back to a Massachusetts-registered stallion; or (2) the dropped foal of a thoroughbred mare
33who resides in the commonwealth continuously for at least 90 days, including foaling and foals
34in the commonwealth, shall be a Massachusetts-bred; In the unforeseen circumstances in which a 3 of 4
35Mare of the born foal passes away and cannot breed back to a Stallion said foal will be
36recognized and registered as a Mass Bred; or
37 (ii) Any unraced Thoroughbred foal that is raised in the commonwealth for 90 days
38continuously prior to December 31 of its 3-year-old year shall be a Massachusetts-accredited
39horse; and
40 (iii) Each thoroughbred foal dropped or raised in the commonwealth shall be registered
41with the Jockey Club and the Massachusetts Thoroughbred Breeders Association, Inc.
42 A Massachusetts-accredited thoroughbred shall be eligible for any Massachusetts bred
43race, except for Massachusetts restricted stakes races. For Massachusetts bred stake races,
44Massachusetts accredited horses may enter to fill the race after all Massachusetts-bred horses
45have already been entered in the race. A full race shall be determined by the Massachusetts
46Thoroughbred Breeders Association, Inc. and the hosting track for the race.
47 The Massachusetts Thoroughbred Breeders Association, Inc. may pay foaling incentives
48to the owner of any mare that foals within the commonwealth. To be eligible for such incentive,
49prior to foaling, the owner of a mare shall file with the Massachusetts Thoroughbred Breeders
50Association, Inc. a verified statement that the mare is in foal, the expected due date, and the
51location of the mare.
52 The Massachusetts Thoroughbred Breeders Association, Inc. may expend up to 12 per
53cent of the amount received each fiscal year for the program for the advertising, marketing,
54promotion, and administration of the thoroughbred breeding program in the commonwealth. 4 of 4
55 The state auditor shall once annually audit the books of the Massachusetts Thoroughbred
56Breeders Association Inc. to ensure compliance with this section.