Thoroughbred Owners of California

What Thoroughbred Owners of California does

Thoroughbred Owners of California (TOC) is a California-domiciled nonprofit trade association representing approximately 5,200 Thoroughbred horse racing owners in the state. The organization was established to negotiate statutorily mandated horsemen's agreements with each of the licensed Thoroughbred racing associations (Santa Anita, Del Mar, Los Alamitos, and previously Golden Gate Fields), approve wagering agreements between racing associations and other tracks, OTB operators, and ADW companies, and advocate on legislative and regulatory matters before the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB), the California Legislature, and the US Congress. TOC does not operate a technology product; its core deliverable is representation, negotiation, and advocacy services provided through a small staff (1-10 employees) under President & CEO Bill Nader, supported by a 15-member Board of Directors.

Revenue is generated through three streams: recurring membership dues from the 5,200 owner-members; per-start fees ($174 per start at Southern California tracks in 2026, up from $158 in 2025), automatically deducted from owners' paymaster accounts; and per-stall fees ($5.50 per day in 2026, up from $5.00 in 2025) paid by trainers. The per-start and per-stall fees fund a workers' compensation program for backstretch workers and jockeys. Additional value is delivered through member benefits (discounts on equine products and services through partners such as California Horse Power Coalition and Insurance Office of America), educational resources (owner handbook, podcasts, conformation clinics, teleconferences), the Cal-Bred incentive program (jointly funded with CTBA), and recognition programs (Chairman's Award, Ed Friendly Industry Service Award). The organization operates from its Arcadia, CA headquarters with a Northern California representative office at Golden Gate Fields.

Name

Thoroughbred Owners of California

Legal name

Thoroughbred Owners of California

Website

https://toconline.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Thoroughbred Owners of California is a nonprofit trade association representing approximately 5,200 Thoroughbred horse racing owners. It negotiates statutorily mandated horsemen's agreements, approves wagering agreements, and advocates before the CHRB and California Legislature.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Horse Racing Trade Association

NAICS

Spectator Sports (71121)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Racing, Including Track Operation (7948)

akta.pro primary industry

Racing Associations, Governance & Integrity Services (MPAEADAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Racehorse Ownership, Syndication & Investment Platforms (MPAEADAG)

Keywords

• Thoroughbred racing association
• Horse racing advocacy
• Horsemen's agreements negotiation
• Racehorse ownership membership
• California racing representation

Headquarters

HQ city

Arcadia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership dues: TOC generates revenue through membership fees from Thoroughbred owners in California. Members receive access to benefits and discounts through various partner programs.
2. Per-start fees: Owners pay per-start fees at California tracks (Santa Anita, Los Alamitos, Del Mar) which are automatically deducted from paymaster accounts. The 2026 rate is $174 per start at Southern California tracks. This fee funds the workers' compensation program for backstretch workers and jockeys.
3. Per-stall fees: Trainers pay per-stall fees to fund the workers' compensation program. The 2026 base rate is $5.50 per day at Santa Anita, Los Alamitos, Del Mar, and San Luis Rey Downs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Thoroughbred Owners of California (TOC) is a membership-based trade association that represents and advocates for Thoroughbred horse owners in California. It negotiates and enforces statutorily mandated horsemen's agreements with licensed Thoroughbred racing associations, approves wagering agreements between racing associations and OTB/ADW operators, and advocates on legislative and regulatory matters before the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB), California Legislature, and US Congress. Members receive access to discounted partner benefits, owner standings tracking, educational resources, and industry events.

Product overview

Thoroughbred Owners of California (TOC) is a membership-based industry organization that represents and advocates for Thoroughbred horse owners in California. TOC does not offer a technology product or software platform. The organization provides member benefits, racing resources, owner standings tracking, educational materials (owner handbook with glossaries and condition book terms), stake schedules, sire summaries, newsletters, podcasts, conferences, and legislative advocacy services for its approximately 5,200 members. The organization's primary offerings are membership services and industry representation rather than a commercial product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• TOC Membership
• Legislative and Regulatory Advocacy Services
• Horsemen's Agreement Negotiation and Enforcement
• Wagering Agreement Approval
• Cal-Bred Incentive Program
• Workers' Compensation Program Funding

Named customers4 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• California Horse Power CoalitionminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCHPC is listed as a TOC partner offering discounts and benefits to TOC members. Provides advertising/sponsorship relationship with TOC.
• Insurance Office of AmericaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerIOA is listed as a TOC partner offering insurance products and services to TOC members. Provides advertising/sponsorship relationship with TOC.
• California Thoroughbred Breeders Association (CTBA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTOC and CTBA jointly fund the Cal-Bred maiden bonus award program to increase the value of investing in California-bred and California-sired horses. The partnership coordinates on the Cal-Bred Incentive Program and related breeder incentives.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• The Jockey Club: National breed registry and membership organization for Thoroughbred breeders in North America. Comparable to TOC as a longstanding, governance-oriented Thoroughbred membership body, though The Jockey Club operates the American Stud Book and is registry-focused rather than purse-negotiation focused.
• National Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association (HBPA): National affiliate of state horsemen's groups that negotiate horsemen's agreements and purses on behalf of owners and trainers. Most structurally analogous to TOC's statutorily mandated negotiation role, but operating at a federal level across multiple state affiliates rather than within a single state.
• Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA): National membership organization for Thoroughbred owners and breeders, offering educational programs, awards (including National Owner of the Year won by TOC directors), and advocacy. TOBA is the most direct structural peer to TOC at the national level, serving the same constituency but without state-specific statutory authority.
• California Thoroughbred Breeders Association (CTBA): California-based trade association representing Thoroughbred breeders. TOC's core strategic partner via the Cal-Bred maiden bonus program; both organizations represent adjacent constituencies (owners vs. breeders) within California racing and share legislative/regulatory advocacy mandates.

Regional players

• Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders: Kentucky-based association representing owners and breeders in the heart of US Thoroughbred breeding. Comparable mission and membership model to TOC, but Kentucky-centric and centered on breeding economics rather than purse negotiations at racing tracks.
• Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association: State-level horsemen's organization representing owners and trainers in Maryland. Closely mirrors TOC's structure and statutory role but operates in a different racing jurisdiction (Pimlico, Laurel Park, etc.), serving as a useful peer benchmark for state-level horsemen's agreement negotiations.
• Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association: Pennsylvania state-level breeders and owners association operating the state's breeding fund program. Comparable to TOC in operating breeder incentive programs and serving as advocacy body for racing participants within a single state.
• Florida Thoroughbred Breeders' and Owners' Association: Florida state-level Thoroughbred owners and breeders association. Comparable to TOC in membership trade association structure and racing advocacy, but operating in Florida with a different track ecosystem (Gulfstream, Tampa Bay Downs).
• New York Thoroughbred Breeders Inc. New York state Thoroughbred breeding and ownership organization. Comparable membership-based structure to TOC with similar advocacy and incentive programs, but centered on New York racing and the state's breeding fund.

Others

• CARMA (California Retirement Management Account): California-based nonprofit supporting Thoroughbred retirement after racing. A TOC board director (Samantha Siegel) serves on CARMA's board, evidencing ecosystem overlap; CARMA is adjacent rather than directly competitive, providing post-racing welfare services for the same member population.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@TBOwnersCA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/thoroughbred-owners-of-ca

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles18 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Thoroughbred Owners of California