Gulfstreams Overnight Purses Will Enjoy Huge Increases for the Summer

Wednesday, March 13, 2024

Bernies Blog

HALLANDALE BEACH - The overnight purses during Gulfstream Park’s upcoming Spring/Summer Meet will receive significant increases from top to bottom over a season ago. Come April, upon the conclusion of the 2023-2024 Championship Meet, purses will be boosted in all categories from open handicaps to $6,250 claiming races with conditions.

Gulfstream will race four days a week in April, May and June and three days from July through November. There will be turf racing throughout the spring and summer.

The new and historic workers compensation plan will offer significant savings. The workers compensation program provides all state coverage with the exception of New York, California, Ohio, North Dakota, Washington and Wyoming.

“We expect the increase in purses, the new workers compensation program, and year-round turf racing will continue to strengthen Gulfstream’s overall program,” said Bill Badgett, Executive Director of Florida Racing Operations for Gulfstream Park.

“With the increased purses, grass racing and our workers compensation program, Gulfstream is now the summer place to be,” said FTHA President Joe Orseno. “We are able to offer better purses and we hope this will encourage trainers and owners to keep horses at Gulfstream Park through the non-championship meet. A big thank you to 1/ST management and the FTHA purse committee for negotiating this competitive purse structure.”

Open handicaps, which were contested for $60,000 last season, will offer purses worth $74,000. The purse for a $6,250 claiming race with conditions will be increased from $17,000 to $20,000.

Open allowance races will offer purses $10,000 higher than 2023 levels, ranging from $61,000 to $63,000. Entry-level allowance races for Florida-breds will see a $5,000 increase from $43,000 to $48,000.

Starter allowance purses will be increased from3,000 to $9,000, ranging from $25,000 to $49,000. Maiden special weight races will also be increased by $10,000 to $60,000. Maiden special weight races for Florida-breds will see increases from $40,000 to $48,000. A maiden race for $12,500 claiming horses will get a boost of $6,000 to $25,000. The purse for a $50,000 claiming race for 3-year-olds will be increased by $9,000 to $44,000.