b'welcome letterT While much of the northern hemisphere shuts(from left) TOBA Chairman Dr. J. David Richardson, KTA/KTOB President-elect rick samuelsBraxton Lynch and KTA/KTOB President Pope McLean, Jr.Throughout its long and storied history, Thoroughbred racing and breeding in the Uniteddown its group/graded races during the winter, States has demonstrated its dominance on a globalAmerican racing is just heating up. Winter racing stage. As the worlds largest breeding nation anddestinations combine great racing and warm weather offering the highest number of races and pursefor fun in the sun. Fair Grounds in New Orleans, money, the sporting and economic opportunities areGulfstream Park near Miami and Santa Anita in the abundant in the US. The value of our bloodstock isLos Angeles metropolitan are near popular vacation the stimulus for making the US the premier sourcedestinations and each offers key races on the road for Thoroughbreds, attracting the worlds leadingto the Kentucky Derby, as well as numerous other owners and breeders. stakes races. US-Bred 2018 highlights the past year, whichYearlings sold in North America led a robust included the dazzling performance of Justify inauction market in 2018, with the average price of sweeping the Triple Crown. Unraced at two,nearly $79,000 reaching its highest recorded level the chestnut colt burst onto the racing scene inever. Broodmares remain highly sought after in the February and departed in June after becomingUS and the 2-year-old sales, with Florida leading the the sports thirteenth Triple Crown champion byway, remain strong.winning the Belmont Stakes. 2018 demonstratedThe KTOB and TOBA are proud to publish US-the attractiveness of turf racing in America as theBred for the second consecutive year.We encourage European contingent enjoyed remarkable successyou to participate in our racing, breeding and at the Breeders Cup World Championships atsales. From New York to California to Kentucky to Churchill Downs and Sistercharlie (IRE), purchasedFlorida and everywhere in between, the possibilities privately by an American owner, dominated the fillyare limitless.and mare turf division enroute to an Eclipse Award. Now, with the new and lucrative Turf Trinity andYours sincerely,Turf Tiara at Belmont Park and Saratoga in New York, international owners have even more incentive to race in the United States.2 01_WelcomeLetter_NEW_USB.indd 2 3/27/19 11:12 AM'