Santa Anita to Increase Overnight Purses 10%

Santa Anita Park's 2021 autumn meet that begins Oct. 1 will offer owners and horsemen a 10% increase in all overnight races. Santa Anita and the Thoroughbred Owners of California have reached an agreement that will enable Santa Anita to provide a comprehensive purse increase for the third consecutive race meeting, dating back to the 2020 autumn meet.

"This is a very significant development and we want to thank everyone at TOC for helping to make this happen," said Chris Merz, Santa Anita director of racing and racing secretary.  "To be able to offer a purse increase for the third meet in a row clearly demonstrates we are trending in the right direction and that's important when owners and horsemen are making plans not only for racing but breeding as well.

"Our autumn stall applications are very encouraging as is the success of the current meet at Del Mar. I think people around the country and here in California are realizing this is a tremendous place to race and train and we hope to keep the momentum going into the new year."

With the two-day Breeders' Cup World Championships scheduled for Nov. 5-6 at Del Mar, there will be added interest in a variety of Breeders' Cup Challenge races, the first of which will be contested on opening day, Oct. 1.

With four stakes planned, three of them, the $300,000 American Pharoah Stakes (G1), the $200,000 Chandelier Stakes (G2), and the $100,000 Speakeasy Stakes, are all Breeders' Cup Challenge events and they'll be complemented by the $200,000 Eddie D Stakes (G2T), for 3-year-olds and up at 6 1/2 furlongs on turf. 

"This purse increase is significant not only to our owners and horsemen, but to all of us in the Thoroughbred industry here in California," said Nate Newby, Santa Anita senior vice president and general manager. "There's no question we're moving in the right direction and we're hopeful this is going to help with field size which will provide better gambling opportunities for our fans."