Fla. Stat. § 550.2625 — Florida Code / Title XXXIII / Chapter 550 / Section 550.2625
550.2625 Horseracing; minimum purse requirement; Florida breeders’ and owners’ awards.
Status: in_force

(1) The purse structure and the availability of breeder awards are important factors in attracting the entry of well-bred horses in racing meets in this state which in turn helps to produce maximum racing revenues for the state and the counties.

(2) Each permitholder conducting a horserace meet is required to pay from the takeout withheld on pari-mutuel pools a sum for purses in accordance with the type of race performed. (a) A permitholder conducting a thoroughbred horse race meet under this chapter must pay from the takeout withheld a sum not less than 7.75 percent of all contributions to pari-mutuel pools conducted during the race meet as purses. In addition to the 7.75 percent minimum purse payment, permitholders conducting live thoroughbred performances shall be required to pay as additional purses .625 percent of live handle for performances conducted during the period beginning on January 3 and ending March 16; .225 percent for performances conducted during the period beginning March 17 and ending May 22; and .85 percent for performances conducted during the period beginning May 23 and ending January 2. Except that any thoroughbred permitholder whose total handle on live performances during the 1991-1992 state fiscal year was not greater than $34 million is not subject to this additional purse payment. A permitholder authorized to conduct thoroughbred racing may withhold from the handle an additional amount equal to 1 percent on exotic wagering for use as owners’ awards, and may withhold from the handle an amount equal to 2 percent on exotic wagering for use as overnight purses. No permitholder may withhold in excess of 20 percent from the handle without withholding the amounts set forth in this subsection. (b)1. A permitholder conducting a harness horse race meet under this chapter must pay to the purse pool from the takeout withheld a purse requirement that totals an amount not less than 8.25 percent of all contributions to pari-mutuel pools conducted during the race meet. An amount not less than 7.75 percent of the total handle shall be paid from this purse pool as purses. 2. An amount not to exceed 0.5 percent of the total handle on all harness horse races that are subject to the purse requirement of subparagraph 1., must be available for use to provide medical, dental, surgical, life, funeral, or disability insurance benefits for occupational licensees who work at tracks in this state at which harness horse races are conducted. Such insurance benefits must be paid from the purse pool specified in subparagraph 1. An annual plan for payment of insurance benefits from the purse pool, including qualifications for eligibility, must be submitted by the Florida Standardbred Breeders and Owners Association for approval to the commission. An annual report of the implemented plan shall be submitted to the commission. All records of the Florida Standardbred Breeders and Owners Association concerning the administration of the plan must be available for audit at the discretion of the commission to determine that the plan has been implemented and administered as authorized. If the commission finds that the Florida Standardbred Breeders and Owners Association has not complied with the provisions of this section, the commission may order the association to cease and desist from administering the plan and shall appoint the commission as temporary administrator of the plan until the commission reestablishes administration of the plan with the association. (c) A permitholder conducting a quarter horse race meet under this chapter shall pay from the takeout withheld a sum not less than 6 percent of all contributions to pari-mutuel pools conducted during the race meet as purses. (d) The commission shall adopt reasonable rules to ensure the timely and accurate payment of all amounts withheld by horserace permitholders regarding the distribution of purses, owners’ awards, and other amounts collected for payment to owners and breeders. Each permitholder that fails to pay out all moneys collected for payment to owners and breeders shall, within 10 days after the end of the meet during which the permitholder underpaid purses, deposit an amount equal to the underpayment into a separate interest-bearing account to be distributed to owners and breeders in accordance with commission rules. (e) An amount equal to 8.5 percent of the purse account generated through intertrack wagering and interstate simulcasting will be used for Florida Owners’ Awards as set forth in subsection (3). Any thoroughbred permitholder with an average blended takeout which does not exceed 20 percent and with an average daily purse distribution excluding sponsorship, entry fees, and nominations exceeding $225,000 is exempt from the provisions of this paragraph.

(3) Each horseracing permitholder conducting any thoroughbred race under this chapter, including any intertrack race taken pursuant to ss. 550.615-550.6305 or any interstate simulcast taken pursuant to s. 550.3551(3) shall pay a sum equal to 0.955 percent on all pari-mutuel pools conducted during any such race for the payment of breeders’, stallion, or special racing awards as authorized in this chapter. This subsection also applies to all Breeder’s Cup races conducted outside this state taken pursuant to s. 550.3551(3). On any race originating live in this state which is broadcast out-of-state to any location at which wagers are accepted pursuant to s. 550.3551(2), the host track is required to pay 3.475 percent of the gross revenue derived from such out-of-state broadcasts as breeders’, stallion, or special racing awards. The Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association is authorized to receive these payments from the permitholders and make payments of awards earned. The Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association has the right to withhold up to 10 percent of the permitholder’s payments under this section as a fee for administering the payments of awards and for general promotion of the industry. The permitholder shall remit these payments to the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association by the 5th day of each calendar month for such sums accruing during the preceding calendar month and shall report such payments to the commission as prescribed by the commission. With the exception of the 10-percent fee, the moneys paid by the permitholders shall be maintained in a separate, interest-bearing account, and such payments together with any interest earned shall be used exclusively for the payment of breeders’, stallion, or special racing awards in accordance with the following provisions: (a) The breeder of each Florida-bred thoroughbred horse winning a thoroughbred horse race is entitled to an award of up to, but not exceeding, 20 percent of the announced gross purse, including nomination fees, eligibility fees, starting fees, supplementary fees, and moneys added by the sponsor of the race. (b) The owner or owners of the sire of a Florida-bred thoroughbred horse that wins a stakes race is entitled to a stallion award of up to, but not exceeding, 20 percent of the announced gross purse, including nomination fees, eligibility fees, starting fees, supplementary fees, and moneys added by the sponsor of the race. (c) The owners of thoroughbred horses participating in thoroughbred stakes races, nonstakes races, or both may receive a special racing award in accordance with the agreement established pursuant to s. 550.26165(1). (d) In order for a breeder of a Florida-bred thoroughbred horse to be eligible to receive a breeder’s award, the horse must have been registered as a Florida-bred horse with the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association, and the Jockey Club certificate for the horse must show that it has been duly registered as a Florida-bred horse as evidenced by the seal and proper serial number of the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association registry. The Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association shall be permitted to charge the registrant a reasonable fee for this verification and registration. (e) In order for an owner of the sire of a thoroughbred horse winning a stakes race to be eligible to receive a stallion award, the stallion must have been registered with the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association, and the breeding of the registered Florida-bred horse must have occurred in this state. The stallion must be standing permanently in this state during the period of time between February 1 and June 15 of each year or, if the stallion is dead, must have stood permanently in this state for a period of not less than 1 year immediately prior to its death. The removal of a stallion from this state during the period of time between February 1 and June 15 of any year for any reason, other than exclusively for prescribed medical treatment, as approved by the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association, renders the owner or owners of the stallion ineligible to receive a stallion award under any circumstances for offspring sired prior to removal; however, if a removed stallion is returned to this state, all offspring sired subsequent to the return make the owner or owners of the stallion eligible for the stallion award but only for those offspring sired subsequent to such return to this state. The Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association shall maintain complete records showing the date the stallion arrived in this state for the first time, whether or not the stallion remained in the state permanently, the location of the stallion, and whether the stallion is still standing in this state and complete records showing awards earned, received, and distributed. The association may charge the owner, owners, or breeder a reasonable fee for this service. (f) A permitholder conducting a thoroughbred horse race under the provisions of this chapter shall, within 30 days after the end of the race meet during which the race is conducted, certify to the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association such information relating to the thoroughbred horses winning a stakes or other horserace at the meet as may be required to determine the eligibility for payment of breeders’, stallion, and special racing awards. (g) The Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association shall maintain complete records showing the starters and winners in all races conducted at thoroughbred tracks in this state; shall maintain complete records showing awards earned, received, and distributed; and may charge the owner, owners, or breeder a reasonable fee for this service. (h) The Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association shall annually establish a uniform rate and procedure for the payment of breeders’ and stallion awards and shall make breeders’ and stallion award payments in strict compliance with the established uniform rate and procedure plan. The plan may set a cap on winnings and may limit, exclude, or defer payments to certain classes of races, such as the Florida stallion stakes races, in order to assure that there are adequate revenues to meet the proposed uniform rate. Such plan must include proposals for the general promotion of the industry. Priority shall be placed upon imposing such restrictions in lieu of allowing the uniform rate to be less than 15 percent of the total purse payment. The uniform rate and procedure plan must be approved by the commission before implementation. In the absence of an approved plan and procedure, the authorized rate for breeders’ and stallion awards is 15 percent of the announced gross purse for each race. Such purse must include nomination fees, eligibility fees, starting fees, supplementary fees, and moneys added by the sponsor of the race. If the funds in the account for payment of breeders’ and stallion awards are not sufficient to meet all earned breeders’ and stallion awards, those breeders and stallion owners not receiving payments have first call on any subsequent receipts in that or any subsequent year. (i) The Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association shall keep accurate records showing receipts and disbursements of such payments and shall annually file a full and complete report to the commission showing such receipts and disbursements and the sums withheld for administration. The commission may audit the records and accounts of the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association to determine that payments have been made to eligible breeders and stallion owners in accordance with this section. (j) If the commission finds that the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association has not complied with any provision of this section, the commission may order the association to cease and desist from receiving funds and administering funds received under this section. If the commission enters such an order, the permitholder shall make the payments authorized in this section to the commission for deposit into the Pari-mutuel Wagering Trust Fund; and any funds in the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association account shall be immediately paid to the commission for deposit to the Pari-mutuel Wagering Trust Fund. The commission shall authorize payment from these funds to any breeder or stallion owner entitled to an award that has not been previously paid by the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association in accordance with the applicable rate.

(4) Each permitholder conducting a harness horse race under this chapter shall pay a sum equal to the breaks on all pari-mutuel pools conducted during that race for the payment of breeders’ awards, stallion awards, and stallion stakes and for additional expenditures as authorized in this section. The Florida Standardbred Breeders and Owners Association is authorized to receive these payments from the permitholders and make payments as authorized in this subsection. The Florida Standardbred Breeders and Owners Association has the right to withhold up to 10 percent of the permitholder’s payments under this section and under s. 550.2633 as a fee for administering these payments. The permitholder shall remit these payments to the Florida Standardbred Breeders and Owners Association by the 5th day of each calendar month for such sums accruing during the preceding calendar month and shall report such payments to the commission as prescribed by the commission. With the exception of the 10-percent fee for administering the payments and the use of the moneys authorized by paragraph (j), the moneys paid by the permitholders shall be maintained in a separate, interest-bearing account; and such payments together with any interest earned shall be allocated for the payment of breeders’ awards, stallion awards, stallion stakes, additional purses, and prizes for, and the general promotion of owning and breeding of, Florida-bred standardbred horses. Payment of breeders’ awards and stallion awards shall be made in accordance with the following provisions: (a) The breeder of each Florida-bred standardbred horse winning a harness horse race is entitled to an award of up to, but not exceeding, 20 percent of the announced gross purse, including nomination fees, eligibility fees, starting fees, supplementary fees, and moneys added by the sponsor of the race. (b) The owner or owners of the sire of a Florida-bred standardbred horse that wins a stakes race is entitled to a stallion award of up to, but not exceeding, 20 percent of the announced gross purse, including nomination fees, eligibility fees, starting fees, supplementary fees, and moneys added by the sponsor of the race. (c) In order for a breeder of a Florida-bred standardbred horse to be eligible to receive a breeder’s award, the horse winning the race must have been registered as a Florida-bred horse with the Florida Standardbred Breeders and Owners Association and a registration certificate under seal for the winning horse must show that the winner has been duly registered as a Florida-bred horse as evidenced by the seal and proper serial number of the United States Trotting Association registry. The Florida Standardbred Breeders and Owners Association shall be permitted to charge the registrant a reasonable fee for this verification and registration. (d) In order for an owner of the sire of a standardbred horse winning a stakes race to be eligible to receive a stallion award, the stallion must have been registered with the Florida Standardbred Breeders and Owners Association, and the breeding of the registered Florida-bred horse must have occurred in this state. The stallion must be standing permanently in this state or, if the stallion is dead, must have stood permanently in this state for a period of not less than 1 year immediately prior to its death. The removal of a stallion from this state for any reason, other than exclusively for prescribed medical treatment, renders the owner or the owners of the stallion ineligible to receive a stallion award under any circumstances for offspring sired prior to removal; however, if a removed stallion is returned to this state, all offspring sired subsequent to the return make the owner or owners of the stallion eligible for the stallion award but only for those offspring sired subsequent to such return to this state. The Florida Standardbred Breeders and Owners Association shall maintain complete records showing the date the stallion arrived in this state for the first time, whether or not the stallion remained in the state permanently, the location of the stallion, and whether the stallion is still standing in this state and complete records showing awards earned, received, and distributed. The association may charge the owner, owners, or breeder a reasonable fee for this service. (e) A permitholder conducting a harness horse race under this chapter shall, within 30 days after the end of the race meet during which the race is conducted, certify to the Florida Standardbred Breeders and Owners Association such information relating to the horse winning a stakes or other horserace at the meet as may be required to determine the eligibility for payment of breeders’ awards and stallion awards. (f) The Florida Standardbred Breeders and Owners Association shall maintain complete records showing the starters and winners in all races conducted at harness horse racetracks in this state; shall maintain complete records showing awards earned, received, and distributed; and may charge the owner, owners, or breeder a reasonable fee for this service. (g) The Florida Standardbred Breeders and Owners Association shall annually establish a uniform rate and procedure for the payment of breeders’ awards, stallion awards, stallion stakes, additional purses, and prizes for, and for the general promotion of owning and breeding of, Florida-bred standardbred horses and shall make award payments and allocations in strict compliance with the established uniform rate and procedure. The plan may set a cap on winnings, and may limit, exclude, or defer payments to certain classes of races, such as the Florida Breeders’ stakes races, in order to assure that there are adequate revenues to meet the proposed uniform rate. Priority shall be placed on imposing such restrictions in lieu of allowing the uniform rate allocated to payment of breeder and stallion awards to be less than 10 percent of the total purse payment. The uniform rate and procedure must be approved by the commission before implementation. In the absence of an approved plan and procedure, the authorized rate for breeders’ and stallion awards is 10 percent of the announced gross purse for each race. Such purse must include nomination fees, eligibility fees, starting fees, supplementary fees, and moneys added by the sponsor of the race. If the funds in the account for payment of breeders’ and stallion awards are not sufficient to meet all earned breeders’ and stallion awards, those breeders and stallion owners not receiving payments have first call on any subsequent receipts in that or any subsequent year. (h) The Florida Standardbred Breeders and Owners Association shall keep accurate records showing receipts and disbursements of such payments and shall annually file a full and complete report to the commission showing such receipts and disbursements and the sums withheld for administration. The commission may audit the records and accounts of the Florida Standardbred Breeders and Owners Association to determine that payments have been made to eligible breeders, stallion owners, and owners of Florida-bred standardbred horses in accordance with this section. (i) If the commission finds that the Florida Standardbred Breeders and Owners Association has not complied with any provision of this section, the commission may order the association to cease and desist from receiving funds and administering funds received under this section and under s. 550.2633. If the commission enters such an order, the permitholder shall make the payments authorized in this section and s. 550.2633 to the commission for deposit into the Pari-mutuel Wagering Trust Fund; and any funds in the Florida Standardbred Breeders and Owners Association account shall be immediately paid to the commission for deposit to the Pari-mutuel Wagering Trust Fund. The commission shall authorize payment from these funds to any breeder, stallion owner, or owner of a Florida-bred standardbred horse entitled to an award that has not been previously paid by the Florida Standardbred Breeders and Owners Association in accordance with the applicable rate. (j) The board of directors of the Florida Standardbred Breeders and Owners Association may authorize the release of up to 25 percent of the funds available for breeders’ awards, stallion awards, stallion stakes, additional purses, and prizes for, and for the general promotion of owning and breeding of, Florida-bred standardbred horses to be used for purses for, and promotion of, Florida-bred standardbred horses at race meetings at which there is no pari-mutuel wagering unless, and to the extent that, such release would render the funds available for such awards insufficient to pay the breeders’ and stallion awards earned pursuant to the annual plan of the association. Any such funds so released and used for purses are not considered to be an “announced gross purse” as that term is used in paragraphs (a) and (b), and no breeders’ or stallion awards, stallion stakes, or owner awards are required to be paid for standardbred horses winning races in meetings at which there is no pari-mutuel wagering. The amount of purses to be paid from funds so released and the meets eligible to receive such funds for purses must be approved by the board of directors of the Florida Standardbred Breeders and Owners Association.

(5)(a) Except as provided in subsections (7) and (8), each permitholder conducting a quarter horse race meet under this chapter shall pay a sum equal to the breaks plus a sum equal to 1 percent of all pari-mutuel pools conducted during that race for supplementing and augmenting purses and prizes and for the general promotion of owning and breeding of racing quarter horses in this state as authorized in this section. The Florida Quarter Horse Breeders and Owners Association is authorized to receive these payments from the permitholders and make payments as authorized in this subsection. The Florida Quarter Horse Breeders and Owners Association, Inc., referred to in this chapter as the Florida Quarter Horse Breeders and Owners Association, has the right to withhold up to 10 percent of the permitholder’s payments under this section and under s. 550.2633 as a fee for administering these payments. The permitholder shall remit these payments to the Florida Quarter Horse Breeders and Owners Association by the 5th day of each calendar month for such sums accruing during the preceding calendar month and shall report such payments to the commission as prescribed by the commission. With the exception of the 5-percent fee for administering the payments, the moneys paid by the permitholders shall be maintained in a separate, interest-bearing account. (b) The Florida Quarter Horse Breeders and Owners Association shall use these funds solely for supplementing and augmenting purses and prizes and for the general promotion of owning and breeding of racing quarter horses in this state and for general administration of the Florida Quarter Horse Breeders and Owners Association, Inc., in this state. (c) In order for an owner or breeder of a Florida-bred quarter horse to be eligible to receive an award, the horse winning a race must have been registered as a Florida-bred horse with the Florida Quarter Horse Breeders and Owners Association and a registration certificate under seal for the winning horse must show that the winning horse has been duly registered prior to the race as a Florida-bred horse as evidenced by the seal and proper serial number of the Florida Quarter Horse Breeders and Owners Association registry. The Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is authorized to assist the association in maintaining this registry. The Florida Quarter Horse Breeders and Owners Association may charge the registrant a reasonable fee for this verification and registration. Any person who registers unqualified horses or misrepresents information in any way shall be denied any future participation in breeders’ awards, and all horses misrepresented will no longer be deemed to be Florida-bred. (d) A permitholder conducting a quarter horse race under a quarter horse permit under this chapter shall, within 30 days after the end of the race meet during which the race is conducted, certify to the Florida Quarter Horse Breeders and Owners Association such information relating to the horse winning a stakes or other horserace at the meet as may be required to determine the eligibility for payment of breeders’ awards under this section. (e) The Florida Quarter Horse Breeders and Owners Association shall maintain complete records showing the starters and winners in all quarter horse races conducted under quarter horse permits in this state; shall maintain complete records showing awards earned, received, and distributed; and may charge the owner, owners, or breeder a reasonable fee for this service. (f) The Florida Quarter Horse Breeders and Owners Association shall keep accurate records showing receipts and disbursements of payments made under this section and shall annually file a full and complete report to the commission showing such receipts and disbursements and the sums withheld for administration. The commission may audit the records and accounts of the Florida Quarter Horse Breeders and Owners Association to determine that payments have been made in accordance with this section. (g) The Florida Quarter Horse Breeders and Owners Association shall annually establish a plan for supplementing and augmenting purses and prizes and for the general promotion of owning and breeding Florida-bred racing quarter horses and shall make award payments and allocations in strict compliance with the annual plan. The annual plan must be approved by the commission before implementation. If the funds in the account for payment of purses and prizes are not sufficient to meet all purses and prizes to be awarded, those breeders and owners not receiving payments have first call on any subsequent receipts in that or any subsequent year. (h) If the commission finds that the Florida Quarter Horse Breeders and Owners Association has not complied with any provision of this section, the commission may order the association to cease and desist from receiving funds and administering funds received under this section and s. 550.2633. If the commission enters such an order, the permitholder shall make the payments authorized in this section and s. 550.2633 to the commission for deposit into the Pari-mutuel Wagering Trust Fund, and any funds in the Florida Quarter Horse Breeders and Owners Association account shall be immediately paid to the commission for deposit to the Pari-mutuel Wagering Trust Fund. The commission shall authorize payment from these funds to any breeder or owner of a quarter horse entitled to an award that has not been previously paid by the Florida Quarter Horse Breeders and Owners Association in accordance with this section.

(6)(a) The takeout may be used for the payment of awards to owners of registered Florida-bred horses placing first in a claiming race, an allowance race, a maiden special race, or a stakes race in which the announced purse, exclusive of entry and starting fees and added moneys, does not exceed $40,000. (b) The permitholder shall determine for each qualified race the amount of the owners’ award for which a registered Florida-bred horse will be eligible. The amount of the available owners’ award shall be established in the same manner in which purses are established and shall be published in the condition book for the period during which the race is to be conducted. No single award may exceed 50 percent of the gross purse for the race won. (c) If the moneys generated under paragraph (a) during the meet exceed the owners’ awards earned during the meet, the excess funds shall be held in a separate interest-bearing account, and the total interest and principal shall be used to increase the owners’ awards during the permitholder’s next meet. (d) Breeders’ awards authorized by subsections (3) and (4) may not be paid on owners’ awards. (e) This subsection governs owners’ awards paid on thoroughbred horse races only in this state, unless a written agreement is filed with the commission establishing the rate, procedures, and eligibility requirements for owners’ awards, including place of finish, class of race, maximum purse, and maximum award, and the agreement is entered into by the permitholder, the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association, and the association representing a majority of the racehorse owners and trainers at the permitholder’s location.

(7)(a) Each permitholder that conducts race meets under this chapter and runs Appaloosa races shall pay to the commission a sum equal to the breaks plus a sum equal to 1 percent of the total contributions to each pari-mutuel pool conducted on each Appaloosa race. The payments shall be remitted to the commission by the 5th day of each calendar month for sums accruing during the preceding calendar month. (b) The commission shall deposit these collections to the credit of the General Inspection Trust Fund in a special account to be known as the “Florida Appaloosa Racing Promotion Account.” The Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services shall administer the funds and adopt suitable and reasonable rules for the administration thereof. The moneys in the Florida Appaloosa Racing Promotion Account shall be allocated solely for supplementing and augmenting purses and prizes and for the general promotion of owning and breeding of racing Appaloosas in this state. The moneys may not be used to defray any expense of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services in the administration of this chapter.

(8) Each permitholder that conducts race meets under this chapter and runs Arabian horse races shall pay to the commission a sum equal to the breaks plus a sum equal to 1 percent of the total contributions to each pari-mutuel pool conducted on each Arabian horse race. The payments shall be remitted to the commission by the 5th day of each calendar month for sums accruing during the preceding calendar month.

History: s. 32, ch. 92-348; s. 4, ch. 93-123; s. 10, ch. 95-390; ss. 10, 26, ch. 96-364; ss. 5, 6, ch. 98-190; ss. 1, 6, ch. 98-217; s. 55, ch. 2000-154; s. 26, ch. 2000-354; s. 20, ch. 2001-279; s. 83, ch. 2002-1; s. 2, ch. 2003-295; s. 5, ch. 2006-79; s. 13, ch. 2009-170; ss. 4, 5, ch. 2010-29; s. 43, ch. 2013-226; s. 30, ch. 2022-7; s. 111, ch. 2023-8.