New York to allow higher purse-to-price ratio in claiming races

The New York State Gaming Commission on Friday approved a proposal that would allow tracks in New York to increase the purse-to-price ratio in claiming races to 3 to 1 from its current ratio of 2.8 to 1.

The purse-to-price ratio in claiming races at New York Racing Association tracks was reduced from approximately 4.5 to 1 to 2 to 1 following the Aqueduct winter meet of 2011-12, when there were 21 racing-related fatalities, 17 of which occurred in claiming races. At that time, horses in $7,500 claiming races were running for purses of $30,000 as a result of the revenue stream provided from slot machines at the newly opened Resorts World casino adjacent to Aqueduct in October 2011.

NYRA officials had argued that reduction put NYRA at a competitive disadvantage with tracks in the Mid-Atlantic region that offered higher purse-to-price ratios. In 2018, the commission increased the purse-to-price ratio to 2.8 to 1.

NYRA argued that with enhanced safety protocols put in place years ago that the injury/incident rate in claiming races had reduced significantly.

Dr. Scott Palmer, the commission’s equine medical director, said at a Friday meeting of the Gaming Commission that an increase in purse-to-price ratio to 3 to 1 “is not likely to significantly increase the risk of racing fatalities in claiming races,” provided that enhanced safety protocols that were put in place years ago remain in place, that the number of claiming races remains similar to that of non-claiming races, and that the incident rates continue to be monitored on an annual basis.

A Gaming Commission member recommended that those rates be monitored on a six-month basis.

In other actions announced at the meeting, two jockey suspensions were overturned on appeal by hearing officers, with those hearing officer decisions being sustained by the commission.

First, jockey Kendrick Carmouche had a three-day suspension for an alleged careless riding incident in the fifth race on May 22 at Aqueduct overturned.

Second, steeplechase jockey Gerard Galligan had a 15-day suspension and a $1,000 fine for failure to ride with the appropriate weight in the 2025 Grade 1 Jonathan Sheppard Steeplechase Stakes on Aug. 27, 2025, overturned. Galligan finished seventh on the 5-2 favorite Givemefive, who was assigned high weight of 158 pounds.

Meanwhile, jockey Manny Franco’s appeal of a three-day suspension handed him for careless riding on June 26 at Aqueduct was denied.

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