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Thistledown to Open with 10% Purse Increases

After a delayed and somewhat abbreviated 2020 meet due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Ohio's JACK Thistledown Racino will open Monday, Apr. 26, for a full 2021 season with a 10% boost in purses. The 100-day meet will feature cards on a Monday through Thursday schedule with special Saturday cards beginning on Derby day May 1. The highlight of the meet is the 87th edition of the GIII Ohio Derby, which is the only graded event in Ohio. It will be worth $500,000 this year and will be run June 26.

“We are excited to get back to our full slate of racing,” said Thistledown's director of racing, Patrick Ellsworth. “We worked closely with the Ohio State Racing Commission and the Horsemen's group last season to establish safe protocols that allowed us to race a shortened season. Now it's time to look ahead to the 2021 season.”

The Thistledown meet will conclude Oct. 14.

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Tampa Bay Downs Announces Fourth Purse Increase Of Meet

Fueled by continued gains in simulcast revenue, Tampa Bay Downs has increased purses by 10 percent for the fourth time during the 2020-2021 meeting. The boost takes effect with today's card and extends through the season finale on May 2.

Peter Berube, the track's Vice President-General Manager, said purses for each race will be increased by $3,000 from their previous levels. Purses for maiden special weight races have been hiked to $29,000, which includes $1,000 per race from the Florida Owners' Awards program.

Tampa Bay Downs has raised purses by 40 percent since the Nov. 25 Opening Day card.

“The latest increase is a tribute to our horsemen who strive to deliver a quality product, the racing office for its efforts to provide competitive racing with full fields and fans around the country who continue to flock to our signal,” Berube said.

Tampa Bay Downs previously boosted purses on Dec. 16, Feb. 3 and Feb. 20.

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Fourth Purse Increase for Tampa at this Meet

Beginning with Wednesday's card, Tampa Bay Downs will increase purses by 10% due to continued gains in simulcast revenue. It marks the fourth time purses have been upped during the 2020-21 meeting, which opened Nov. 25 and will continue to May 2, with previous boosts occurring Dec. 16, Feb. 3, and Feb. 20.

“The latest increase is a tribute to our horsemen who strive to deliver a quality product, the racing office for its efforts to provide competitive racing with full fields, and fans around the country who continue to flock to our signal,” said Peter Berube, Tampa Bay's vice president and general manager.

According to the Oldsmar track, purses for each race will increase by $3,000 from their previous levels. Maiden special weights have been raised to $29,000, which includes $1,000 per race from the Florida Owners' Awards program.

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Oaklawn Boosts Overnight Purses 15 Percent; Allowance Races Up To $110,000

Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark. announced the largest mid-season purse increase in the history of the track on Tuesday. Over the final eight weeks of the season, Oaklawn will pump another $2.5 million into overnight races, including increasing top allowance races to $110,000. The 15% across the board increase also takes maiden special weights to $93,000 and raises the bottom purse to $27,000.

“It's been an interesting year to say the least, but it is very gratifying to announce this purse increase nearly a year after shutting the race meet and casino down to fans because of the Covid-19 pandemic,” Oaklawn President Louis Cella said. “I wasn't sure we'd get here a couple weeks ago with all the bad winter weather, but our horsemen and fans are resilient. February ended with a tremendous weekend of racing and it was exciting to see fans back in the Infield last week. I have no doubt the final eight weeks of racing are going to be exciting, especially with some of our marquee races still to come.”

Saturday's 12-race card will be highlighted by the $1 million Rebel Stakes (G2) for 3-year-olds with Arkansas Derby (G1) and Kentucky Derby (G1) aspirations, as well as the $500,000 Essex Handicap, $350,000 Azeri Stakes (G2), $200,000 Hot Springs Stakes, and $150,000 Temperence Hill Stakes. First post is 12 noon.

“Rebel Stakes weekend has grown to be almost as big as Arkansas Derby Day and we're excited to be able to welcome more fans back just in time for the richest racing in our history,” General Manager Wayne Smith said. “Weather permitting, the Infield will be open every Saturday throughout the end of the meet. The Infield is truly a rite of spring and it was certainly missed last year.”

Oaklawn's 2021 live meet continues through Saturday, May 1.

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