"Our racing program has been strong and well-received nationally. The Summit of Speed on July 13 ˆ when the Calder record for combined mutuel handle was set ˆ is a great example," said Dunn. "And we had anticipated that the schedule changes for this year's meet were going to maximize our purse structure. The combination of these factors makes this purse increase possible. We're very pleased to make this announcement."
Calder Race Course increased purses by $10,000 a day, about 5%, beginning Aug. 9.The daily average for Calder overnight purses now stands at approximately $192,000. Calder had previously announced a 10% purse increase on June 14.Calder President Ken Dunn attributed the increase to a combination of successful interstate wagering on the Calder product, as well as a recent break in live racing from July 29 through Aug. 2. The break allowed Calder to continue to generate handle on full card simulcasting while not distributing purse money for five days.
