Increased Purses Announced for 2018 Saratoga Meet
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Photo: Anne M. Eberhardt
The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) announced July 6 a $2,000 across-the-board purse increase for all maiden and allowance races, as well as some claiming races, for the 2018 meet at Saratoga Race Course.
For the 40-day meet—which runs from July 20 to Sept. 3—top maiden special weights will now carry a purse of $85,000 and first-level allowance optional claiming races will carry $95,000.
Additionally, the 2018 Saratoga meet will also introduce a new and permanent purse distribution allocation. With the exception of any stakes with awards specifically stated in the condition book, all races going forward will pay out as follows: 55% of the total purse to the winner, 20% to second place, 12% to third, 6% to fourth, 4% to fifth, with the remaining 3% divided among the remaining runners.
The new purse distribution will be adjusted from the current breakdown of 60-20-10-5-3 percent to the top five finishers, respectively, with the remaining 2% divided among the remainder of the field.
The 2018 meet Saratoga Race Course, which includes 69 stakes worth $18.8 million in purses, will again be highlighted by the $1.2 million Whitney Stakes (G1) Aug. 4 and the $1.25 million Travers Stakes (G1) Aug. 25, the centerpieces of two of the biggest days in North American racing.
The first condition book for the 2018 Saratoga meet is now available online at nyra.com/saratoga/horsemen.