Increased purses, new purse distribution announced for 2018 Saratoga meet

by NYRA Press Office

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) has announced a $2,000 across-the-board purse increase for all maiden and allowance races, as well as some claiming races, for the 2018 meet at Saratoga Race Course.

For the prestigious 40-day meet, which runs from Friday, July 20 to Monday, September 3, top maiden special weights will now carry a purse of $85,000 and first-level allowance optional claiming races will carry $95,000. 

Additionally, the 2018 Saratoga meet will also introduce a new and permanent purse distribution allocation. With the exception of any stakes with awards specifically stated in the condition book, all races going forward will pay out as follows: 55 percent of the total purse to the winner, 20 percent to second place, 12 percent to third, six percent to fourth, four percent to fifth, with the remaining three percent divided among the remaining runners.

The new purse distribution will be adjusted from the current breakdown of 60-20-10-5-3 percent to the top five finishers, respectively, with the remaining two percent divided among the remainder of the field.

The 2018 meet Saratoga Race Course, which includes 69 stakes worth $18.8 million in purses,  will again be highlighted by the Grade 1, $1.2 million Whitney on August 4 and the Grade 1, $1.25 million Travers on August 25, the centerpieces of two of the biggest days in North American racing.

The first condition book for the 2018 Saratoga meet is now available online at nyra.com/saratoga/horsemen.

About the New York Racing Association (NYRA):

The New York Racing Association Inc., (NYRA) holds the exclusive franchise to conduct thoroughbred racing at Aqueduct Racetrack, Belmont Park and Saratoga Race Course. NYRA tracks are the cornerstone of New York State's thoroughbred industry, which is responsible for 19,000 jobs and more than $3 billion in annual economic impact to New York State.

Over the course of 225 days of live racing in 2017, NYRA generated $2.2 billion in all-sources wagering handle with paid attendance exceeding 1.7 million. While staging just over 5 percent of all races run in the United States in 2017, wagering on NYRA's races again accounted for more than 20 percent of all monies bet on thoroughbred racing in the United States.