Major Purse Hikes Set for Belmont, Saratoga
by Tom LaMarra
Date Posted: 2/29/2012 1:59:59 PM
Last Updated: 5/24/2012 5:16:27 PM

Stakes purses at the Belmont Park and Saratoga meets this year will increase roughly 27%, while overnight purses will jump about 42%, the New York Racing Association said Feb. 29.

The increases factor in revenue from the video lottery terminal casino that opened last fall at Aqueduct. Though win-per-machine hasn't quite met expectations, VLTs have generated millions of dollars for purses and capital improvements at NYRA tracks.

Stakes purses during the 56-day Belmont spring meet will increase $1.9 million, or 26.6%, to $9.05 million in 2012, while stakes purses during the 40-day Saratoga meet will increase $2.85 million, or 27%, to $13.35 million in 2012.

Purses for overnight races, including overnight stakes, will increase $8.7 million during the Belmont spring meet and $7.7 million during the Saratoga meet, NYRA officials said.

Average daily purses—overnights and stakes combined—will be $620,000, up from $430,000, at Belmont, and $930,000, up from $670,000, at Saratoga. The upstate New York racetrack will easily have the highest daily average purse distribution in North America.

“The purse increases for overnight and stakes races for the upcoming Belmont Park and Saratoga meets confirm NYRA’s leadership position in Thoroughbred racing,” NYRA vice president and director of racing P. J. Campo said in a statement. “The enhanced purses should result in larger field sizes, stimulate additional wagering activity, and increase profitability for NYRA.”

The purse for the Belmont Stakes (gr. I), the third leg of the Triple Crown, will remain at $1 million. The Metropolitan Mile Handicap (gr. I) will run for $750,000 this year, up from $500,000 in 2011.

The Saratoga meet again will be highlighted by the $1 million Travers Stakes (gr. I). Several stakes received purse hikes: the Ballerina Stakes (gr. I), from $250,000 to $500,000; the Foxwoods King’s Bishop and the Test Stakes (both gr. I), each from $250,000 to $500,000; the Personal Ensign Stakes (gr. I), from $300,000 to $600,000; and the Fourstardave (gr. IIT), from $150,000 to $500,000.

  2012 NYRA STAKE SCHEDULE        
           
DATE RACE GRADE 2012 PURSE
AGE
 DISTANCE
BELMONT SPRING / SUMMER MEETING    
 
  
Sat., Apr. 28 Westchester 
III
150,000
3&UP
 1 Mile
Sat., May. 5 Beaugay 
III
150 000
F&M 3&UP
 1  1/16  (Turf)
Sat., May. 5 Fort Marcy 
III
150 000
3 & UP
 1  1/16  (Turf)
Sun., May. 6 New York Stallion Stakes
 
100,000
F 3YO
 6 1/2 Furlongs
  Park Avenue Division
 
 
 
  
Sun., May. 6 New York Stallion Stakes  
 
100,000
3YO
 6 1/2 Furlongs
  Times Square Division
 
 
 
  
Sat., May. 12 Peter Pan
II
200 000
3YO
 1 1/8
Sat., May 19 Affirmed Success (NYB)
 
100,000
3&UP
 7 Furlongs
Sat., May 26 Sheepshead Bay 
II
200,000
F&M 3&UP
 1 3/8 (Turf)
Sun., May 27 Kingston  (NYB)
 
125,000
3&UP
 1 Mile (Turf)
Sun., May 27 Mount Vernon  (NYB)  
 
125,000
F&M 3&UP
 1 Mile (Turf)
Mon., May 28 Metropolitan Handicap
I
750,000
3&UP
 1 Mile
Mon., May 28 Sands Point 
II
200,000
F3YO
 1 1/16 (Turf)
Mon., May 28 Acorn
I
300,000
F3YO
 1 Mile
Mon., May 28 Ogden Phipps (Hdcp.)
I
400,000
F&M 3&UP
 1  1/16
Sat., June 2 Vagrancy Hdcp. 
II
200,000
F&M 3&UP
 6 1/2 Furlongs
Sun., June 3 New York Stallion Stakes
 
75,000
F3YO
 7 Furlongs (Turf)
  Cupecoy's Joy Division
 
 
 
  
Sun., June 3 New York Stallion Stakes
 
75,000
3YO
 7 Furlongs (Turf)
  Spectacular Bid Division
 
 
 
  
Fri., June 8 Jaipur
III
150,000
3&UP
 7 Furlongs (Turf)
Fri., June 8 Brooklyn Hdcp.
II
200,000
3&UP
 1 1/2
Sat., June 9 Belmont
I
1,000,000
3YO
 1 1/2
Sat., June 9 Manhattan (Hdcp)
I
500,000
3&UP
 1 1/4 (Turf)
Sat., June 9 True North  (Hdcp.) 
II
400,000
3&UP
 6 Furlongs
Sat., June 9 Woody Stephens 
II
400,000
3YO
 7 Furlongs
Sat., June 9 Just a Game 
I
500,000
F&M 3&UP
 1 Mile (Turf)
Sat., June 16 Hill Prince
III
150,000
3YO
 1 Mile (Turf)
Sat., June 23 Mother Goose
I
300,000
F3YO
 1  1/16
Sun., June 24 Bouwerie (NYB)
 
125,000
F3YO
 7 Furlongs
Sun., June 24 Mike Lee (NYB)
 
125,000
3YO
 7 Furlongs
Sat., June 30 New York 
II
200,000
F&M 3&UP
 1 1/4 (Turf)
Sat., June 30 Dwyer
II
200,000
3YO
 1 1/8
Sun., July 1 Bed o' Roses (Hdcp.)
III
150,000
F&M 3&UP
 7 Furlongs
Wed., July 4 Poker Hdcp.
III
150,000
3&UP
 1 Mile (Turf)
Sat., July 7 Suburban (Hdcp.) 
II
350,000
3&UP
 1  1/8
Sat., July 7 Victory Ride
III
150,000
F3YO
 6 Furlongs
Sat., July 14 Man o' War  
I
600,000
3&UP
 1 3/8 (Turf)
   
 
 
 
  
   
 
 
 
  
   
 
 
 
  
DATE RACE
GRADE
2012 PURSE
AGE
 DISTANCE
SARATOGA MEETING
 
 
 
  
Fri., July. 20 Schuylerville
III
150,000
F2YO
 6 Furlongs
Fri., July. 20 James Marvin
III
100,000
3&UP
 7 Furlongs
Sat., July 21 TVG Coaching Club American Oaks
I
300,000
F3YO
 1 1/8
Sun., July. 22 Sanford
II
200,000
2YO
 6 Furlongs
Mon., July 23 Evan Shipman (NYB)
 
100,000
3&UP
 1 1/8
Wed., July. 25 Lake George
II
200,000
F3YO
 1 1/16 (Turf)
Thurs., July 26 Quick Call
 
100,000
3YO
 5 1/2 (Turf)
Fri., July. 27 Curlin
 
100,000
3YO
 1  1/8
Sat., July. 28 Diana 
I
600,000
F&M 3&UP
 1 1/8 (Turf)
Sat., July. 28 Jim Dandy
II
600,000
3YO
 1 1/8
Sun., July. 29 Amsterdam 
II
200,000
3YO
 61/2 Furlongs
Mon., July . 30 Caress
 
100,000
F&M 3&UP
 5 1/2 (Turf)
Wed., Aug. 1 John Morrissey (NYB)
 
100,000
3&UP
 6 1/2 Furlongs
Thurs., Aug. 2 A. P. Smithwick Mem. (S'Chase)
II
100,000
4&UP
 2 1/16 (Turf)
Fri., Aug. 3 Honorable Miss (Hdcp.)
II
200,000
F&M 3&UP
 6 Furlongs
Fri., Aug. 3 John's Call Presented by Sportech
 
100,000
3&UP
 1 5/8 (Turf)
Sat., Aug. 4 Whitney Invitational (Hdcp.)
I
750,000
3&UP
 1 1/8
Sat., Aug 4 Prioress  
I
300,000
F3YO
 6 Furlongs
Sat., Aug. 4 De La Rose
 
100,000
F&M 3&UP
 1 Mile (Turf)
Sun., Aug. 5 Alfred G. Vanderbilt (Hdcp.)
I
400,000
3&UP
 6 Furlongs
Mon., Aug. 6 Signature Stallions Waya
 
100,000
F&M 3&UP
 1 1/2 (Turf)
Wed., Aug. 8 New York Stallion Series
 
100,000
3YO
 1 Mile (Turf)
  Cab Calloway Division
 
 
 
  
Thurs., Aug. 9 New York Stallion Series
 
100,000
F3YO
 1 Mile (Turf)
  Statue Of Liberty Division
 
 
 
  
Fri., Aug. 10 National Museum of Racing Hall Of Fame
II
200,000
3YO
 1 1/16 (Turf)
Sat., Aug. 11 Fourstardave (Hdcp.) 
II
500,000
3&UP
 1 Mile (Turf)
Sun., Aug. 12 Adirondack
II
200,000
F2YO
 6 1/2 Furlongs
Sun., Aug. 12 Saratoga Special
II
200,000
2YO
 6 1/2 Furlongs
Mon., Aug. 13 Coronation Cup
 
100,000
F3YO
 5 1/2 (Turf)
Wed., Aug 15 Troy
 
100,000
3&UP
 5 1/2 (T)
Thurs., Aug. 16 West Point (NYB) presented by Trustco Bank
 
150,000
3&UP
 1 1/16 (Turf)
Fri., Aug. 17 Yaddo  (NYB)
 
150,000
F&M 3&UP
 1 1/16 (Turf)
Sat., Aug. 18 Alabama
I
600,000
F3YO
 1 1/4
Sat., Aug 18 Sword Dancer Inv. 
I
600,000
3&UP
 1 1/2 (Turf)
Sun., Aug. 19 Woodford Reserve Lake Placid 
II
200,000
F3YO
 1 1/8 (Turf)
Mon., Aug. 20 Union Avenue (NYB)
 
100,000
F&M 3&UP
 6 Furlongs
Wed., Aug. 22 Albany (NYB)
 
150,000
3YO
 1 1/8
Thurs., Aug. 23 New York Turf Writers Cup
I
150,000
4&UP
 2 3/8 (Turf)
  (Hdcp.)(Steeplechase)
 
 
 
  
Fri., Aug. 24 Ballerina  
I
500,000
F&M 3&UP
 7 Furlongs
Sat., Aug. 25 Ballston Spa 
II
250,000
F&M 3&UP
 1 1/16 (Turf)
Sat., Aug. 25 Travers 
I
1,000,000
3YO
 1 1/4
Sat., Aug. 25 Test
I
500,000
F3YO
 7 Furlongs
Sat., Aug. 25 Foxwoods King's Bishop
I
500,000
3YO
 7 Furlongs
Sun., Aug. 26 Personal Ensign Invitational 
I
600,000
F&M 3&UP
 1 1/8
Mon., Aug. 27 Saratoga Dew (NYB)
 
100,000
F&M 3&UP
 1 1/8
Wed., Aug. 29 P. G. Johnson
 
100,000
F2YO
 1 1/16 (Turf)
Thurs., Aug. 30 With Anticipation
II
200,000
2YO
 1 1/16 (Turf)
Fri., Aug 31 Riskaverse
 
100,000
F3YO
 1 Mile (Turf)
Sat., Sept. 1 Forego 
I
500,000
3&UP
 7 Furlongs
Sat., Sept. 1 The Woodward 
I
750,000
3&UP
 1 1/8
Sat., Sept. 1 Bernard Baruch (Hdcp.)
II
250,000
3&UP
 1  1/16 (Turf)
Sun., Sept. 2 Spinaway
I
300,000
F2YO
 7 Furlongs
Sun., Sept. 2 Saranac 
III
150,000
3YO
 1 1/8 (Turf)
Mon., Sept. 3 Three Chimneys Hopeful
II
300,000
2YO
 7 Furlongs
Mon., Sept. 3 Glens Falls 
III
150,000
F&M 3&UP
 1 3/8 (Turf)


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