Purse Cuts for Festival of Racing at Prairie Meadows
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Photo: Coady Photography
Lady Apple wins the 2019 Iowa Oaks at Prairie Meadows during the track's Festival of Racing
Mirroring many tracks reopening amid COVID-19, Prairie Meadows has reduced stakes purses for its meet that is scheduled to begin June 19.
Taking the largest cuts are the stakes that form the track's Festival of Racing during the July 4 holiday weekend, including the Prairie Meadows Cornhusker Handicap (G3), Iowa Oaks (G3), and Iowa Derby. Those races—all July 5—are worth $100,000 apiece after being run last year for $300,000, $200,000, and $250,000, respectively.
In total, 24 Thoroughbred stakes worth approximately $1.57 million are on the racing calendar over 67 dates. Originally, 32 stakes were planned for an 84-day season.
Pending anticipated approval this week from the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission, the meet will begin with nine-race Thoroughbred cards for the first week before mixed-breed cards with Quarter Horses begin and continue through Sept. 27. The meet will conclude with six-race cards exclusively for Thoroughbreds from Sept. 28-Oct. 10.
Overnight purses are down marginally for some types of races. For instance, a maiden special weight race carries a purse of $30,500 this year after being run for $32,000 in 2019. Open allowances are now in the $31,500-$32,500 range, and those for Iowa-breds can reach nearly $42,000. Bottom-level claimers race for $10,000.
The stakes schedule can be viewed at the track's website, and the condition book is available at Equibase.com.