Hollywood Park cuts purses, races · 9.03.10
Remember when I wrote yesterday, regarding the modest reductions in purse levels and race-days at Hastings for 2010, that “it could be a lot worse”? Well, consider the following as Exhibits A, B, and C:
- NYRA Cuts $1.4 Million from Stakes Purses — but you already knew about that, I’m sure.
- Meadowlands To Be Harness Only — link courtesy of my friend Tim — the powers-that-be in New Jersey racing are gambling big-time that eliminating Thoroughbred racing from the Meadowlands and focussing on a reduced summer “boutique” season at Monmouth will work;
- Hollywood makes major cuts to stakes purses — this just announced today.
Hollywood Park is offering 45 stakes worth $5.8 million this spring and summer, down from 49 races worth $8 million last year — a 27.5% reduction in total stakes purses. Of the seven G1 races scheduled at Hollywood, the richest will be the $500,000 Hollywood Gold Cup — down from $750,000 last year. The other six G1s will be worth only $250,000 each — compared to, for example, this year’s G3 BC Derby worth $200,000.
Six stakes races are suspended this year, including the Gallant Man Handicap, created only two years ago especially as a prep for the Breeders’ Cup Marathon (argh!). Also gone this year is another stayers’ race, the Round Table Handicap on turf — this, however, will be replaced by the Jim Murray Handicap, one of two races to be revived after a one-year hiatus.
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I advise all to get a hold of a good book called HEADLESS HORSEMEN which details how the “Dinnies” of this game, the autocratic breeders who control everything, will never let that power go and if they don’t real soon, make some changes, we will see the entire sport go down hill very fast.
— Dr. T. Yatcak · Mar 10, 09:20 AM · #
Thoroughbred Times announced today that the hallowed Saratoga meet in now in jeopardy of not going this year….
The dominoes are falling faster than I once thought possible.
— Dr. T. Yatcak · Mar 12, 10:18 AM · #