Big purse boost at BEL, SAR..

[Kasept]

The New York Racing Association today announced significant purse increases for its 2007 Saratoga Meet. Purses will also increase for the final three weeks of the Belmont Park Spring/Summer Meet, effective July 4.

The Belmont Park average daily purses are projected to climb 12 percent or $61,826, from $514,637 in 2006 to $576,463 for the final three weeks of the meet.

The industry leading Saratoga average daily purses will grow a projected 13.6 percent or $92,694, from a daily average of $678,841 in 2006 to a projected $771,535 in 2007.

“Higher purses attract bigger fields and better horses, and will ensure that Saratoga remains the greatest race meet in the country,” said Steve Duncker, Chairman of the New York Racing Association. “Purse increases are good for horsemen, and they’re also good for business. Since Saratoga generates our highest on-track handle, larger fields will increase that handle, and that’s good business.”

At Saratoga this summer, for example, the purse for an open allowance race at a mile and an eighth will increase $17,000 from current levels to $68,000, while a similar event for New York Breds will increase $11,000 to $62,000. The purse for an open maiden sprint will climb

15,000 to $62,000 while the same race restricted to New York Breds will rise $9,000 to $56,000.

"This is great news,” said Rick Violette, President of the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association (NYTHA). “It is good to see that the lines of communication between NYTHA and NYRA are open and the immediate results are purse increases which will benefit every segment of the thoroughbred racing community."


The purse for all Overnight Stakes at Belmont Park and Saratoga will be $75,000.