Hollywood Park purses mostly unchanged

Overnight purses for the upcoming spring-summer meeting at Betfair Hollywood Park have been reduced for some cheaper divisions, but remain unchanged for higher-class races such as maiden special weight and allowance races compared to the 2012 meeting.

The purses for $20,000 maiden-claiming races, starter allowance races for nonwinners of two, and for claiming horses worth $8,000 to $25,000 have been cut by an average of $1,000 from last year.

Racing secretary Martin Panza emphasized that the prize money for those races remains equal to similar races at the current Santa Anita meeting. For example, an $8,000 claimer is worth $17,000 at both tracks, while a $25,000 claimer is worth $32,000. Last year, an $8,000 claimer was worth $18,000 at Hollywood Park.

Some Santa Anita purses are higher. For the upcoming meeting at Hollywood Park, a maiden special weight race over a mile on turf at Hollywood Park will be worth $52,000, compared to $56,000 at Santa Anita.

The Hollywood Park meeting opens April 25, with an eight-race program highlighted by the $70,000 Harry Henson Stakes for 3-year-olds over six furlongs on turf.