Hazel Park cuts purses 15 percent

Hazel Park Raceway announced a 15 percent purse reduction until further notice on Tuesday in the overnight for Friday’s races.

The decision between track management and the Michigan Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association came in response to declining purse fund revenue from simulcast wagering.

“It’s just an attempt to extend the meet with the purse money that’s available,” said Gary Tinkle, executive director of the Michigan HBPA. “We’re funded by the simulcast purse revenue, and that’s running at an 11 percent decrease this year.”

Tinkle said the closure of Flint-area Sports Creek Raceway played a major role in the simulcast handle declines of 2015. The harness track ceased operations Jan. 1 by order of the Michigan Gaming Control Board after failing to establish a contract with a certified horsemen’s organization to conduct live racing or simulcast for the coming year. The property is now for sale, leaving Michigan with just two simulcast outlets: Hazel Park and harness track Northville Downs, both in the Detroit area.

Friday’s card features a Michigan-bred maiden special weight with a base purse of $7,200 before increases from the Michigan Breeders Fund and other sources. A race under similar conditions was held last Friday with a base purse of $8,500, boosted to a final value of $14,200 with contributions from aforementioned sources.

The announcement marks the second time in as many years that Hazel Park reduced purses in the middle of its meet since returning to Thoroughbred racing last summer.

Hazel Park briefly cut the purse pool by 25 percent last August when Northville Downs was tardy in publicly declaring that it would not finish its conversion into a Thoroughbred venue, necessitating a purse pool to be in place if the track did indeed open for flat racing. Purses were restored when Northville officially backed out of its development plans.

The track also announced in Friday’s overnight that starter fees would be reduced from $400 to $350.

Racing at Hazel Park is scheduled to continue Fridays and Saturdays through Sept. 12.