NEWS: RACING

NYRA enhances spring 2-year-old offerings, announces Fund-supported bonus program for NY-bred juveniles

Saturday, January 2nd, 2016

(Edited press release)

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Six maiden races worth $100,000 each will be offered by the New York Racing Association this spring as part of a program leading up to the Astoria and Tremont, run on June 9 and 10 as the first two juvenile stakes of the year. Additionally, the New York Thoroughbred Breeding and Development Fund has contributed $200,000 to fund bonuses worth a total of $25,000 to be offered to the owner and trainer of New York-breds who finish first, second or third in any state-bred or open maiden juvenile race held during the Aqueduct spring and Belmont spring-summer meet.

For 2-year-old fillies, Astoria Trial A, at 4 ½ furlongs, will be run on April 20 at Aqueduct Racetrack. Astoria Trial B and C will be run on May 4 and May 18 at Belmont Park, both at five furlongs.

Tremont Trial A, at 4 1/2 furlongs, will be run on April 21, with Tremont Trial B and C at five furlongs scheduled for May 5 and May 19 at Belmont.

The fields for the trials are limited to 10, with the winner to receive $50,000 and all runners to be paid. Should 10 horses start, the second through sixth-place horses would receive $20,000, $10,000, $7,500, 5,000 and $4,000, with $3,500 divided among the seventh through 10th-place finishers.

The regular purse for maiden races is $75,000.

The bonus program for New York-breds calls for owners to receive $9,000 for a first-place finish, $4,500 for second and $2,500 for third. Trainers would get a bonus of $4,000 for first, $3,000 for second and $2,000 for third.

“Two-year-old racing is an important part of the racing program here in New York,” said Martin Panza, NYRA’s Senior Vice-President of Racing Operations. “We will continue to find ways in assisting owners to be profitable with a young horse and in trying to create a program that will let these individuals develop into future stars.”

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