Arlington Cuts, Reduces Stakes Purses

Arlington International Racecourse announced Feb. 3 a 2017 stakes schedule that drops two races and cuts purses for five more as part of an industry effort to improve overnight purses.

 

Stakes run in 2016 but omitted from this years schedule are the Arlington Matron Stakes (G3), won last year by Flipcup, and the seven-furlong Chicago Handicap (G3), won last year by Sarah Sis.

 

Three races included in the Aug. 12 Arlington International Festival of Racing will have their purses reduced. The American St. Leger Stakes (G3T) drops from $300,000 to $200,000, the Secretariat Stakes (G1T) for 3-year-olds goes from $450,000 to $400,000 and the Beverly D. Stakes (G1T) for fillies and mares is reduced from $700,000 to $600,000.

 

The American Derby (G3T), run on Million Preview Day July 8, is trimmed from $125,000 to $100,000 and the listed Arlington-Washington Futurity on Sept. 9 will run for $75,000, down from last year's $100,000.

To download a PDF of Arlington's stakes schedule, click here

 

"It's the initiative that the state racing board started to put more money into overnight purses," said Tony Petrillo, Arlington general manager. "We took some of the stakes money and will use it to invest in overnight purse increases and more races."

 

The Illinois Racing Board earlier announced plans to donate $500,000 in "surplus" operating funds to purse accounts at the state's tracks—a move that remains undefined pending legislative action providing clear authority for the transfer. Petrillo said Arlington's actions would provide roughly a similar amount to boost overnight purses.

 

Petrillo did not, however, offer an estimate of average daily purses for the 2017 season, which opens on Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) day, May 5.

 

"Average daily isn't meaningful," he said. "Some days you have eight races, some days you have 10. What's meaningful is that with this change, horsemen will be running for bigger purses and we will be carding more races."

 

Overnight purses last season averaged just over $130,000 per day

 

The 2017 schedule totals 20 stakes worth $3.4 million, including six $50,000 stakes for Illinois-registered horses.

 

Efforts to divert funding to overnight purses are the latest stopgap measure put in place to keep the industry afloat while state government continues debating a gaming bill that would authorize slot machines and/or full casino operations at tracks.

 

The current version of that legislation is under consideration in the state senate but faces an uncertain future because of a complex political gridlock in the capitol.