Presque Isle Downs to Raise Purses by 20%

Presque Isle Downs will raise purses across the board by 20%, effective Sept. 28, according to the Pennsylvania Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association.

In a news release posted on Twitter, Todd Mostoller, executive director of the Pennsylvania HBPA, praised the participants at Presque Isle this summer and management of the track, led by Matt Ennis, the director of finance and racing. He called this summer a "challenging meet," one that was delayed until July 27 due to COVID-19.

The pandemic has forced everyone in racing to be creative, and to be resourceful," he said in the release. "And there is no better example of that then what continues to take place every day at Presque Isle Downs. This purse increase is a great way to say thanks to our horsemen who stepped up big time to support the meet."

Presque Isle was the third Pennsylvania Thoroughbred track to open this year amid COVID-19 after Penn National Race Course resumed racing June 19 and Parx Racing June 22. Those tracks had existing horse populations on their backsides after suspending operations in March, while Presque Isle did not. Presque Isle's backstretch opened in early July, two months after the customary start of its race meet.

The track has paid about $166,000 per day in purses for eight-race cards conducted on a Monday-through-Thursday basis. Its average field size of nearly 7.8 horses a race is its highest since 2012.

This year the track put its two most significant stakes—the Presque Isle Masters Stakes (G2) and Presque Isle Mile Stakes—on hiatus to maintain overnight purses.

Injuries to jockeys Arienne Cox and Kris Fox in a Sept. 8 spill marred the middle portion of the meet. The track continues to accept donations via its horsemen's bookkeeper to assist the riders.

Racing at Presque Isle continues through Oct. 22.