Arcadia, Calif. – The California Thoroughbred Business League (CTBL), a group comprised of racing associations, horsemen’s organizations and fairs, is responsible for overseeing funds that are to be utilized for providing workers’ compensation insurance relief to horsemen. Working with PostTime Self Insurance Group, which handles workers’ compensation for the Thoroughbred horsemen, the CTBL has been dealing with the issue of steadily increasing statewide workers’ compensation rates. The cost of the 2019 program for Thoroughbreds is estimated to be in excess of $13.7 million – approximately a 3% increase over 2018.

As a result, it has become necessary to increase the per-start fee from $100 to $106 to cover the owners’ portion of funding for the program. The per-start fee will continue to be automatically deducted from the owner’s paymaster account every time they start a horse. This change will go into effect at Santa Anita Park and Golden Gate Fields beginning January 1.

To offset the per-start increase to owners, the TOC Board voted unanimously to increase the Guaranteed Participation Purses by $6 per start. At the request of Golden Gate Fields, the board also unanimously agreed to increase the participation purse at that track from $225 to $300 per start to include increased costs for Third Party Lasix Administration and Jockey Fees.

Owners of horses competing in all races in which their horses do not finish first through fifth are entitled to a Guaranteed Participation Purse. Horses finishing sixth and beyond (and to fifth place finishers when their share of purse money is less than the corresponding Guaranteed Participation Purse) shall be paid as follows, beginning Jan. 1, 2019:

• $351 per start in the South
• $300 per start at Golden Gate Fields

Owners having questions concerning the PostTime Workers’ Compensation program may call (714) 820-2743.