In a continued collaborative effort to strengthen field size and enhance wagering appeal, the Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association, in partnership with the Maryland Jockey Club, has approved a targeted purse adjustment for turf races moved to the main track, as well as increasing minimum purse payouts for all placing positions in races.
The measure, approved by the MTHA board of directors March 19 following a recommendation from the MTHA Purse Committee—which includes representatives from the MJC—will take effect with the start of the Laurel Park spring meet April 10.
Under the program, races taken off the turf that maintain seven or more betting interests will receive a 20% purse increase. The initiative will remain in place through June 28, and will be reevaluated for continuation ahead of the Laurel fall meet beginning in September.
Under the new structure, qualifying races that come off the turf but retain sufficient field size will see meaningful purse enhancements. For example:
- A $47,000 maiden special weight would increase to $56,400
- A $24,000 lifetime claiming race would increase to $28,800
During the discussion, it was emphasized that maintaining larger fields in off-the-turf scenarios has a direct and significant impact on pari-mutuel handle.
"When turf races come off the grass, the fields are frequently decimated by trainers and owners not wanting to run their horses on the dirt," MTHA president Kathy Voss said. "It leaves such a poor product for our bettors and fans that we had discussed various ways to incentivize horsemen to stay in and run when a turf race comes off."
Moving a race from turf to dirt is usually because of weather, and some trainers do not see any reason to run a turf horse on a wet dirt surface. With an incentive, the goal is to keep fields as big as possible for the betting public.
Data consistently shows that races with seven or more betting interests generate substantially stronger wagering activity compared to those with smaller fields. Each additional horse in a race has a significant impact on the handle, which led to this decision to boost the purse if at least seven horses stay in and see if it has any impact on the field sizes.
When races are cut down to a small field, certain wagering options are not available. For example, there could be no show wagering and trifectas may not be allowed. This hurts the pool, as there are fewer betting options and fewer horses.
This collaborative initiative between the MTHA and MJC is designed to better align incentives, encourage participation when races are moved off the turf, and support a more competitive and attractive racing product at Laurel Park, which will be the home of this year's Preakness Stakes (G1) May 16.
MTHA and MJC Announce increase In Minimum Purse Payments
The MTHA, in coordination with the MJC, Thursday also approved an increase in minimum purse payouts for all placing positions, further strengthening support for horsemen across the Maryland racing program.
The changes will take effect beginning with races March 21 at Laurel Park and remain in place through the Laurel Park summer meet, which concludes June 28. The structure will be reviewed at that time to determine whether it should be continued.
Under the revised payment schedule:
- Fourth place will receive 5% of the purse or $1,000, whichever is greater
- Fifth place will receive 3% of the purse or $1,000, whichever is greater
- Sixth place will receive 2% of the purse or $1,000, whichever is greater
- Seventh through last place will receive a minimum of $1,000
This adjustment ensures that more participants earn meaningful purse distributions, particularly in deeper fields, and reflects the continued commitment of both the MTHA and MJC to supporting owners and trainers at every level.
Based on current projections, the revised structure is expected to allocate approximately $1 million annually from the Purse Dedication Account toward increased payouts.
This press release has been edited for content and style by BloodHorse Staff.
