NYRA to increase New York-bred maiden purses in 2026

Beginning in 2026, New York Racing Association will increase purses for maiden New York-bred 2-year-old races to be equal to that of open company maiden races, NYRA announced Wednesday.

While it is too early to define what the purse levels will be, a NYRA release noted that the 2023 summer meet at Saratoga, maiden races restricted to New York bred 2-year-old races offered purses of $88,000 compared to $105,000 for open company races.

While the release noted the purse increase will impact only the 2024 New York-bred foal crop, NYRA intends to further expand purse parity for additional categories of New York-bred races in the future, according to the release.

“The New York-bred program is critically important to the future of thoroughbred racing in New York State,” said Dave O’Rourke, NYRA president & chief executive officer in a release. “This new purse structure increases the value of the upcoming foal crop of New York-breds, and reflects NYRA’s commitment to the owners, breeders and trainers who choose to breed and race in New York.”

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