Photo:

Jon Putman / Eclipse Sportswire

Santa Anita will increase purses beginning Feb. 28 for its winter meet, which runs through April 6. The boost in prize money comes after increases in key business metrics for the Southern California landmark through the first six weeks of the season, which began Dec. 26.

The purse increases are the result of collaborative discussions with the Thoroughbred Owners of California and will take effect with the fourth condition book, which will be issued by the track this month. Overnight purses, or the amount of money paid out to racehorse owners each day, are set to increase an average of 8%.

Additionally, purses for Santa Anita’s spring meet will increase an average of 10% from the 2024 season, with increases ranging from 8% to 11%, depending on class level. The spring meet begins April 18 and runs through June 16.

Santa Anita has had a solid start to the year, with increases in total all-sources handle, on-track attendance and field size, despite being impacted by the Los Angeles County wildfires last month.

“The transition to a single circuit is the key enabler to the purse increases over the next four months, and it is only the beginning,” TOC president and CEO Bill Nader said. “We will work closely with Santa Anita to return to a balanced purse budget and anticipate further increases for owners and breeders in a phased approach as we continue our new path working together. The early results of the California transition are encouraging.”

“We are appreciative of the owners, trainers and horsemen who have been very supportive of Santa Anita Park this season,” said Nate Newby, senior vice president and general manager of Santa Anita. “Horseplayers have embraced the product on the track with their wagering dollars. Field size has been bolstered by horses from Northern California, many of whom have relocated to the South. Santa Anita Park’s stable area is full, creating opportunities to race in a variety of categories to suit their conditions.”

The track began its 90th anniversary season with the largest opening day crowd in eight years, which joined horseplayers around the world in betting more than $21.4 million all-sources. The total handle was the third highest in the track’s history for an opening day and an increase of 17.4 percent over last year, marking the fourth time in the last seven years that the opening day handle topped $20 million. The on-track attendance of 41,562 was the largest non-weekend or holiday opening day crowd largest since 1990.