California-bred maiden bonus cut at Santa Anita

The bonuses paid to California-bred that win maiden races will be cut from $17,500 to $15,000 at the Santa Anita spring meeting that begins on April 19, according to a statement released by the California Thoroughbred Breeders Association earlier this week.

The bonuses are paid only to maiden winners in open company or statebred races at races of 4 1/2 furlongs or more, and are not available to the winners of claiming races for maidens.

The program, launched in 2009 by the CTBA, pays $10,000 bonuses to the winners of maiden races in Northern California and at Los Alamitos. Such winners at Del Mar will receive $15,000 beginning this summer.

The bonus was as high as $20,000 at its inception, and was lowered to $17,500 in 2012.

Financing for the bonus system is derived from handle, which has fallen at California tracks in recent years, leading to purse cuts at Del Mar, Golden Gate Fields, Los Alamitos, and Santa Anita.

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