NYRA to Offer New York Stakes Turf, Flower Bowl Bonuses
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Photo: Skip Dickstein
Antoinette (blue cap) wins the 2020 Saratoga Oaks Invitational Stakes at Saratoga Race Course
The New York Racing Association's Turf Triple series for fillies will be incentivized by a pair of lucrative bonus opportunities at the upcoming Belmont Park and Saratoga Race Course meets, NYRA announced Feb. 20.
"The bonus system is a win-win for the 3-year-old filly Turf Triple series winners as they progress to their 4- and 5-year-old seasons," said Martin Panza, NYRA senior vice president of racing operations. "NYRA wants the best turf fillies and mares pointing towards our races, providing our fans with top-class events."
The Turf Triple series for fillies kicks off July 10 at Belmont with the $700,000 Belmont Oaks Invitational (G1T). The series continues with the $700,000 Saratoga Oaks Invitational (G3T) Aug. 8 at Saratoga and is completed by the Jockey Club Oaks Invitational at the Belmont fall meet.
NYRA is offering a pair of unique bonus opportunities as a further incentive for owners to participate in the prestigious series.
The "New York Stakes Turf Bonus" will provide $315,000 to the owner and $35,000 to the trainer of any previous winner of the Belmont Oaks, Saratoga Oaks, or Jockey Club Oaks who captures the 2021 edition of the $750,000 New York Stakes (G2T), a 1 1/4-mile turf test for older females June 4 at Belmont
The "Flower Bowl Bonus" will provide $300,000 to the owner and $30,000 to the trainer of any previous winner of the Belmont Oaks, Saratoga Oaks, or Jockey Club Oaks, who captures the $600,000 Flower Bowl Stakes (G1T), a 1 3/8-mile test for older mares Sept. 4 at Saratoga. The Flower Bowl is a Breeders' Cup "Win and You're In" event offering a berth in the Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1T) Nov. 6 at Del Mar.
The Turf Triple series, launched by NYRA in 2019, showcases some of the best 3-year-old turf runners in the country.
Concrete Rose, now retired from racing, captured two-thirds of the inaugural Turf Triple series for fillies with wins in the 2019 Belmont Oaks and Saratoga Oaks. The France-based Edisa captured the 2019 Jockey Club Oaks.
In August, Godolphin homebred Antoinette, trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, won the 2020 Saratoga Oaks ahead of a runner-up effort to Lael Stables' Magic Attitude, conditioned by Arnaud Delacour, in the Belmont Oaks Sept. 19. Both fillies are currently in training in Florida.
The Jockey Club Oaks was not contested last year due to a reduced stakes schedule caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.