Fair Grounds announces 10-percent increase in purse structure

Fair Grounds on Friday announced a purse increase at the New Orleans track’s 2020 – 2021 racing season, the second time purses have been raised at a meet that began Nov. 26.

A press release from the Churchill Downs Inc.-owned racetrack and casino called the change a general 10-percent increase in the purse structure. The release said allowance-race purses, including maiden special weights (now worth a Fair Grounds record $55,000), would be raised $5,000. The release said purses in “mid-level” races would be raised $3,000 and “all other races” by $2,000 without specifying exactly which races would get the respective purse increases. In any case, the purse increase goes into effect Feb. 3, the first day of the fourth condition book this meet.

Fair Grounds, citing strong simulcast handle (no spectators are attending the races because of COVID-19), raised purses for the first time in December.