Charles Town boosts purses for larger fields

In an attempt to attract bigger fields, the Charles Town Races will offer increased purses for some of its higher-quality races beginning Saturday.

Allowance races, including starter allowance and optional claiming events, along with open claiming races for tags of $12,500 to $16,000, will be worth up to $4,000 extra, depending on how many horses start.

A minimum of seven horses must start for the increase to kick in. If seven horses start, the purse will be increased by $1,000, and the purse will be increased by $1,000 for every starter up to 10, the maximum for the track's six-furlong oval.

For each extra $1,000, $200 will go to the horses finishing seventh through 10th. The remaining $800 will be distributed among the top six finishers.

Charles Town plans to track the success of the incentives on a monthly basis to decide if they will continue.