In the race to stake a claim to millions of dollars set aside in an account to help the horse racing industry, the Senate may have just claimed the pole position.

Tucked into the Senate’s $40.3 billion fiscal year 2018 budget proposal is an outside section that would sweep $15 million from the Race Horse Development Fund into the General Fund by June 30, 2018, availing the Senate to $15 million in new revenue that it proposes to spend other programs.

“It’s just been sitting there,” Senate Ways and Means Chairwoman Karen Spilka said of the Race Horse Development Fund money Tuesday. “That’s where we give some of the increases to (the Department of Environmental Protection) and (the Department of Conservation and Recreation). We use it for conservation and recreation, consistent with the original purpose.”

The Race Horse Development Fund was created by the Legislature’s 2011 expanded gaming law to sweeten purses or help pay for benefits for riders, trainers and others who work in the business.

While the Thoroughbred horse racing industry has been on the decline in Massachusetts since at least 2001 – the number of races and racing days have both declined 98 percent since 2001, according to The Jockey Club – harness racing has seen something of a revival with help from the Race Horse Development Fund.