Los Alamitos cuts purses for upcoming Thoroughbred meet

Overnight purses have been cut for the eight-day summer meeting at Los Alamitos from June 22 to July 7 compared to the track’s three meetings in 2023.

Los Alamitos recently released its condition book for the three-week season, detailing proposed races.

Some categories have been affected more than others.

A maiden race will be worth $41,000, down nearly 9 percent from a purse of $45,000 last year. A first-condition allowance race will have a purse of $44,000 compared to $47,000 last year, a decline of 6 percent.

Purses for claiming races have greater declines. A $25,000 claimer for fillies and mares will be worth $26,000, a decline of 13 percent from a purse of $30,000 last year. A $6,250 claimer for non-winners of two is worth 21 percent less, from $14,000 in 2023 to $11,000 this year.

The track has three stakes scheduled. The richest race of the season is the Grade 2 Great Lady M. Stakes, which is worth $200,000 and is run for fillies and mares at 6 1/2 furlongs on July 6.

The $100,000 Los Alamitos Derby at 1 1/8 miles will be run on June 29. The purse was $125,000 last year.

Track officials told the California Horse Racing Board in May that the track has a $200,000 deficit in its purse account.

The meeting will be held on Saturdays and Sundays only on the weekends of June 22-23 and June 29-30 before a four-day concluding week from July 4-7.

Last year, the summer meeting was held over nine days.

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