purses

Despite several cold and snowy weather-related cancellations, more race days and higher available and paid purses were amongst the positive economic trends year over year for the month of February. 230 race days (+5.02%) led to over $79,562,309 (+8.57%) of paid out purses last month spread over 2,001 races (+4.76%). Field size remained largely the same, dropping just slightly from 7.98 in 2025 to 7.78 this year while wagering was also down a bit from $771,126,687 to $756,813,375 (-1.86%). Average wagering per race day was the most noticeable decrease, with...

Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots has added two additional  race dates to the 2025-26 meet, the track announced Tuesday. The additional days, which were "inspired by the strong performance of purse sources" according to the release, will be Monday, March 9, and Monday, March 16. "Following the purse meeting with the Louisiana HBPA and Racing Commission, all parties involved were confident that the addition of two race days fits within our current projections and reflects a shared commitment to the strength of the meet," said Jason Boulet, senior director...

Purses for 3-year-old and upward maiden special weight (MSW) races at Keeneland Race Course ($110,000) and Churchill Downs ($120,000) are projected to remain level this spring compared to the same seasonal race meets in 2025. Executives from both tracks disclosed those spring 2026 figures during the Feb. 3 Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund (KTDF) advisory board meeting. Keeneland's non-juvenile MSW purses had been $100,000 each April between 2022 and 2024 before getting bumped up to $110,000 last year. Churchill Downs has carded non-juvenile MSW races for $120,000 during its April-June meet...

What will racing look like in 10 years? We asked some of racing's best and brightest to give us their predictions. Want to submit an answer? Email suefinley@thetdn.com CARRIE BROGDEN, MACHMER HALL First of all, I am an eternal optimist by nature. With a game-changing program in the works by 2036, I believe that you will see a complete reversal in the gargantuan problem we currently face with aftercare. I am beyond sick of seeing all the ISO posts on social media wanting to buy riding horses but the last...

There has been much discussion in the press recently about the ongoing negotiations on the 2026 racing calendar in New York. In truth, we are closer than reports would suggest on reaching an agreement. Currently, there are four days for the Winter meet, four days for the Saratoga meet, and two days at the Spring meet that are in dispute. We are advocating strongly to retain these dates because we believe that a robust year-round racing calendar is vital to the long-term health of New York's Thoroughbred industry. Year-round racing...

Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund (KTDF) registration fees will be going up as of Jan. 1, 2026. The increase is the first since 2022. Registrations for foals will go from $75 to $95; yearling rates from $100 to $140; racing-age rates from $350 to $700. Only Kentucky-sired and Kentucky-foaled horses that are registered with KTDF prior to the close of entries will receive KTDF purse supplements. The registration rates for stallions will stay at current levels, based on a $400-$850 sliding scale related to stud fee, with higher-priced stallions paying the...

Wagering on U.S. races during the month of October experienced nearly a nine percent uptick and purses also saw significant growth compared to a year ago, according to information released by Equibase on Wednesday. Total wagering of $867,928,259 on races during the month represented a 8.99% increase over the same period from 2024, while available purses of over $115 million were higher by 8.13%. The figure of over $109 million for paid purses in October was also up by 7.59%. As for the total number of race days, they decreased...

Two months out from the Dec. 3 start to its 65-date winter/spring season, Turfway Park is projecting maiden special weight (MSW) purses to be $90,000. That's an increase of $10,000 per race from the $80,000 MSW purse level that Turfway paid at the 2024-25 meet. But that figure also falls $10,000 short of the work-in-progress goal stated earlier this year by Churchill Downs, Inc. (CDI), Turfway's parent company, of having MSW races of at least $100,000 at all five Thoroughbred tracks in Kentucky. Back in May, Gary Palmisano, Jr., the...

The Florida Gaming Control Commission (FGCC) has approved an amended awards plan that fixes in-state breeder and stallion awards at 15% of gross purses, down from the 20% rate established in 2024, according to a release from the Florida Thorougbbred Breeders' and Owners' Association (FTBOA). The new rates are effective as of Sept. 1, 2025. The adjustment reflects industry funding streams legislation, the release said, but despite the cut, total awards in 2026 for Florida breeders are expected to remain level thanks to the launch of new Florida-Bred 'Export' Incentives....

With 13 fewer races days compared to the same month last year, July saw most of its economic indicators down month over month. Some of the biggest changes occurred in available purses (-4.96%) and U.S. starts (-6.35%) with only average wagering per race day seeing a positive trend (+2.25%). The numbers were much the same when compared year-to-date with wagering (-2.56%), paid purses (-3.65%), race days (-4.19%), total races (-4.39%) and starts (-3.53%) all down while field size (+0.89%), average wagering per race day (+1.70%) and average available purses per...

Santa Anita Park's Hollywood Meet reached the halfway point by increasing the substantial gains in handle and field size through comparable dates from last year. The Hollywood Meet, which began on Apr. 18, saw purses increases of over 10% from last year's season while drawing runners from Northern California and leading to an 11% rise in field size at Santa Anita. Additionally, Santa Anita Park's handle is up 14% from 2024.  On-track attendance during Santa Anita's 90th year has remained steady with a 5%increase over 2024. The Santa Anita Hollywood...

Purse levels for maiden special weight (MSW) races at the seven-day Kentucky Downs meet in August and September are once again projected to be $170,000, the same level as last season. Although that number isn't going up in 2025, it's still by far the biggest money outlay for maidens at any North American racetrack, because Kentucky Downs boasts the highest overall purse structure on the continent. At Tuesday's meeting of the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund (KTDF) advisory committee, some board members-as they have in past years-cautioned against the risks of...