Sales-price restricted maiden races at Saratoga will have $75,000 purses

ELMONT, N.Y. – At the upcoming Saratoga meet, the New York Racing Association will offer maiden juvenile races restricted to horses purchased at their most recent auction for $45,000 or less. This gives an owner the option of not having to run in a claiming race to avoid taking on the higher-priced auction buys.

The purses on those races will be $75,000. NYRA has not yet announced the purse structure for maiden 2-year-old races for horses purchased at auction for more than $45,000. Last year, open maiden 2-year-old races, which did not have any restriction on auction prices, had a purse of $85,000.

In a press release, Martin Panza, NYRA’s senior director of racing operations, said this series of maiden races for lower-priced auction purchases “will further support our smaller trainers and owners, who play an important role in our racing program and also provide an opportunity for new owners to get into the game and showcase their horses at Saratoga.”