The American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA) based in Lexington, Kentucky

Lexington, Kentucky

Lexington is the second-largest city in Kentucky and the 63rd largest in the US. Known as the "Thoroughbred City" and the "Horse Capital of the World", it is located in the heart of Kentucky's Bluegrass region...

 is a trade organization for Thoroughbred

Thoroughbred

The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...

 racehorse

Horse racing

Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...

 owners

Ownership

Ownership is the state or fact of exclusive rights and control over property, which may be an object, land/real estate or intellectual property. Ownership involves multiple rights, collectively referred to as title, which may be separated and held by different parties. The concept of ownership has...

 and breeders

Horse breeding

Horse breeding is reproduction in horses, and particularly the human-directed process of selective breeding of animals, particularly purebred horses of a given breed. Planned matings can be used to produce specifically desired characteristics in domesticated horses...

. Founded in 1961, the TOBA's stated mission is to "improve the economics, integrity and pleasure of the sport on behalf of Thoroughbred owners and breeders."

Through its American Graded Stakes Committee, the TOBA is responsible for annually evaluating and setting a Graded stakes race

Graded stakes race

A graded stakes race is a term applied since 1973 by the American Graded Stakes Committee of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association to thoroughbred horse races in the United States and Canada to describe races that derive their name from the stake, or entry fee, owners must pay...

designation for races in the United States whose recent editions have consistently represented the highest quality competition. TOBA is also represented on the Board of Directors of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association as a founding member and on the American Horse Council. The Blood-Horse is a publication of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association.

Daniel J. Metzger has been President of the Association since 1999.