Los Alamitos raises purses

Los Alamitos has raised purses for its Quarter Horses races by 15 percent, an average of $1,000 per race. The increase goes into effect for Thursday's races at the Orange County, Calif., track.

Funding for the purse increase came partially from a court settlement regarding the distribution of simulcast fees for night racetracks in California, according to Ed Allred, the track's owner and chief executive officer. Los Alamitos shares the nighttime racing market in California with a harness meeting at Cal-Expo in Sacramento.

The purse increase raises the minimum purse to $5,000.

The track also announced estimated purses for two major futurities of 2004. The Los Alamitos Million for 2-year-olds in December will be worth an estimated $1.5 million. The Golden State Futurity, usually run in November, will carry a purse of approximately $850,000.

Last year's Million carried a purse of approximately $1.1 million. The increase is credited to an increase in nominations.