Del Mar purses will be about 20 percent lower than in 2019

Overnight purses at Del Mar have been reduced by approximately 20 percent for the summer meeting, which begins on July 10, a decline comparable to other major tracks across the nation this year.

The Del Mar summer meeting will begin without ontrack spectators because of the coronavirus outbreak. Handle will be generated from satellite and account-wagering sources. Tracks derive a higher percentage of revenue for purses from ontrack wagers.

“Given the lack of revenue from ontrack handle, that’s a big hit,” said David Jerkens, Del Mar’s racing secretary. “We derive purse money through handle only. There are no subsidies.

“The main thing is to present opportunities to owners and trainers.”

Track officials said last week they are hopeful that conditions surrounding the pandemic will improve in late summer, allowing for some ontrack customers.

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This summer, Del Mar will offer maiden special weight races for $50,000, a decline of 18 percent from a $61,000 purse for a similar race at the corresponding meeting in 2019. A $25,000 claimer at a mile on turf will be worth $28,000 this year, compared to $35,000 last year.

Those purses are comparable to what has been offered at Santa Anita in recent weeks.

Other leading tracks have also cut purses this summer without ontrack spectators, or, in some cases, without revenue generated from other forms of gaming, such as slot machines or historical racing machines.

Churchill Downs is offering maiden special weight races for $79,000 compared to $95,000 last year. At Belmont Park, the same race has a value of $64,000 this year compared to $80,000 in 2019.

At Santa Anita, maiden special weight races are worth $50,000 compared to $65,000 at this time last year.

Santa Anita has held racing without spectators since mid-March and missed 21 days of racing from late March to mid-May after being ordered to close by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health because of the pandemic.

The track was allowed to resume racing on May 15 and did so with lower purses. The meeting concludes on Sunday followed by a two-week meeting at Los Alamitos that begins on June 26.