Emerald Downs will raise overnight purses by 10% for the 2022 racing season, the second consecutive year for such an increase.
After not being able to attend the races in 2020, fans have returned to the Emerald grandstand this year and revenues have exceeded expectations.
“Our race fans came out to enjoy the beautiful weather, great racing, and popular promotions,” said track president Phil Ziegler. “Revenue from admissions, food & beverages, and wagering were all better than projected. That enables us to put more money towards purses in 2022.”
The announcement comes on the heels of a meeting between track officials and representatives from both horsemen and breeders' groups. The purse for the track's marquee event, the GIII Longacres Mile S., will be bumped to $150,000, a $50,000 increase from its two most recent runnings. The shipping bonus will also return.
The Emerald backstretch is scheduled to open at the beginning of March. More details on the 2022 season and stall applications will be available later this fall.
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