Indiana boosts money for statebreds

The Indiana Racing Commission has announced a purse increase for Indiana-bred horses racing in open company in Indiana. The commission also has created four new stakes for Indiana-breds and boosted the purses of Indiana-bred races.

The quality of racing initiative was recommended by Joe Gorajec, the commission’s executive director, and was supported by Indiana Downs, Hoosier Park, and the Indiana Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association. Indiana-breds who finish first, second, or third in open company at a level of $10,000 claiming or higher will receive a 40 percent purse supplement.

The four new Indiana-bred stakes created by the commission will each have a purse of $200,000. The stakes will begin in 2012.

The program also requires that Indiana-bred races have purses equal to that of a track’s open races. Maiden races for Indiana-breds will now be $35,000, up more than 45 percent from the $24,000 offered at the recent Indiana Downs meet. Other race categories will receive similar boosts.

The money for the purse increases for Indiana-breds will come from the open purse accounts.

“Both tracks agreed to fuel the supplemented purses from the open purse accounts,” Gorajec said. “The four $200,000 races will be funded by at least half from the tracks and the balance from the Breed Improvement fund.”

The new program will begin immediately and will be in effect when Hoosier Park begins its meet July 30. Indiana purses are subsidized by the 2,000 slot machines in operation at each track.