The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) announced today an innovative program that will increase purses for open company route races on the dirt and turf at Saratoga Race Course, based on the number of horses in a race. The revamped purse structure begins on Wednesday, July 23, opening day at Saratoga.

For dirt races at nine furlongs (mile and an eighth) and longer, NYRA will provide incremental increases for every betting interest over six that start.

For turf races longer than nine furlongs, the increases will take effect for every betting interest over eight that start.

The purse hikes per betting interest for both dirt and turf races are as follows:

• Maiden special weight: $5,000
  
• Non-winners of one, two, and three: $8,000
  
• Money allowances and overnight stakes: $10,000

At Saratoga this summer, for example, an open allowance race for non-winners of two at a mile and one furlong on the dirt with 10 betting interests will increase $32,000 from the current purse of $70,000 to $102,000. An open maiden special weight race at one mile and three furlongs on the turf with 11 betting interests will jump $15,000 from the current purse of $63,000 to $78,000.

“These purse increases provide a huge incentive for owners and trainers at NYRA tracks and across the country to run their horses at Saratoga and fill these distance races,” said Paul “PJ” Campo, NYRA Vice President and Director of Racing. “Our fans benefit since higher purses attract better horses and create exciting wagering opportunities. And, of course, large fields generate higher handle, and that’s good for NYRA and all of our racing stakeholders.”

“This is an innovative and exciting experiment that will reward the connections of horses that are born and bred to go a distance of ground,” said Rick Violette Jr., president of the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association. “There is sometimes just criticism for our reliance on pure speed and, hopefully, this could start a trend towards rewarding endurance as well.”

Average daily purses for the 2007 Saratoga meet were $773,738, the highest of any thoroughbred race track in the country, and reflected a 16.7 percent increase from the 2006 meet.