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Purses Increased Across The Board For 2022 Meet At Prairie Meadows

With a record-breaking year for casino play in 2021, purses for both Thoroughbreds and Quarter Horses will see increases across the board for the upcoming 2022 live racing season at Prairie Meadows in Altoona, Ia.

The 2022 84-day live racing season begins with 22 days of Thoroughbred-only racing May 13 – June 18 with an additional two days of Thoroughbred-only racing on Thursday, Sept. 29 and Sunday, Oct. 2. The 60-day mixed Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse schedule will take place June 19 – Oct. 1.

Live racing will be offered Fridays – Mondays, with post times set for 6:00 p.m. CDT on Fridays and Saturdays, and 4:00 p.m. CDT on Sundays and Mondays. Post times may change for special race days, events, and holidays.

The Thoroughbred purse structure will see an increase of nearly 5 percent across the board. The bottom level purse will be at $10,500 for maiden claiming $5,000 or beaten claiming $3,500 runners. The top-level purses will range from $32,000 for maiden special weights to $37,500 for no conditioned allowance races.

The Thoroughbred stakes schedule will feature a total of 26 stakes worth an estimated $2,000,000 and will be highlighted by the Iowa Festival of Racing scheduled for Friday, July 8 and Saturday, July 9, and includes the Iowa Classic on Saturday, Oct. 1. Eight overnight allowance stakes worth $50,000 each will be scheduled early in the season mainly as local prep races for the Festival in early July. The Festival will be enhanced this season with two additional stakes added for 2-year-old boys and girls at $100,000 each, The Prairie Gold Lassie and The Prairie Gold Juvenile going 5 ½ furlongs. The main event of the Festival remains the $300,000 Grade 3 Prairie Meadows Cornhusker Handicap which was won last year by the gray superstar Knicks Go. Two new stakes will be added for late August for 2-year-old boys and girls at $100,000 each, The Prairie Meadows Debutante and The Prairie Meadows Freshman going 6 furlongs. The Iowa Classic for Iowa bred runners will now feature all seven stakes worth $100,000 each.

The Quarter Horse purse structure will also see significant increases across the board with a 20 to 25 percent jump in overnight purses for 2022. The bottom level purse at $9,000 for maiden $7,500 to $5,000 races and the top-level purses ranging from $13,500 for maiden special weight to $17,000 for no conditioned allowance races. The Quarter Horse stakes schedule will offer 23 races worth an estimated $1.6 million and continue to feature a strong Futurity and Derby schedule for both open and Iowa bred runners, the Bank of America/Prairie Meadows Regional Challenge qualifiers in August, and finishing the season with Quarter Horse Championship Night on Friday, September 30 with the finals of the Valley Junction Futurity (G3) and Altoona Derby along with the Two Rivers (G3) for older 440-yard campaigners and Iowa Classic on Saturday, Oct. 1 featuring an all Iowa bred stakes card highlighted by the Jim Bader Futurity and Polk County Derby.

Horsemen should note that Condition Book 1 and stall application for the 2022 season has been posted online in the Horseman's Information area of Prairie Meadows' website at www.prairiemeadows.com/racing/horsemens-info and will be available in hardcopy form via mail or at Prairie Meadows Racing Office within the next few days.

Condition Book 1 will feature the first 14 days of the 2022 season (Thoroughbred-only racing) plus a preview section for Quarter Horse racing starting on page 66 of the condition book. This previews the first 10 days of Quarter Horse races offered from June 19 – July 4. Stall applications will be due in the Prairie Meadows Racing Office by Wednesday, April 6 for both breeds.

The barn area is scheduled to open for horses on Friday, April 15 and training is set to begin on Sunday, April 17, weather permitting.

Quarter Horse connections are reminded that Futurity and Derby nomination forms are available online, by mail, or by request through the Prairie Meadows Racing Office. Payment schedules begin March 1 for the Prairie Meadows Gold Futurity and Derby, Hawkeye Futurity, Cyclone Derby, and Iowa Quarter Horse Stallion Futurity and Derby. Payment schedules begin April 1 for the Valley Junction Futurity, Altoona Derby, Jim Bader Futurity, and Polk County Derby.

To continue receiving information about our 2022 live horse racing season, visit https://www.prairiemeadows.com/signmeup

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Economic Indicators: U.S. Wagering Tops $12 Billion In 2021 For Highest Total Handle Since 2009

Equibase, North American racing's official database, on Wednesday released its 2021 statistics for the industry's economic indicators, including field size, wagering, and other data, along with 2019 and 2020 comparables. The 2019 data is included as a pre-COVID-19 comparison.

Total handle on U.S. races in 2021 topped $12 billion, reaching the highest figure since 2009. That number represents an 11.86 percent increase over wagering in 2020 ($10.9B), and an increase of 10.74 percent compared to 2019 ($11B).

By comparison, the 2009 wagering total of $12.3 billion came from a total of 49,368 races. The 2021 wagering totals were from 33,567 races, a 32 percent decline in the number of races.

“Against an extraordinarily difficult backdrop, the resiliency of Thoroughbred racing was on full display in 2021 as we concluded the year with significant growth in purses and total handle of more than $12 billion, the highest since 2009,” said Tom Rooney, president and chief executive officer of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association. “We thank our customers for their ongoing support as their wagering dollars continue to fuel our industry. As we turn the page to 2022, we look forward to the beginning of a new era for U.S. Thoroughbred racing with the launch of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) and an even greater focus on equine safety and welfare and the integrity of America's oldest sport.”

Race days and starts both increased over 2020, which is expected after the pandemic shut down much of the U.S.'s live racing last year, but average field size showed a decline of 7.2 percent from 2020 to 2021. Over the same period, despite an increase of 10 percent in average purses per race day, average wagering per race day showed a 9.29 percent decline.

As compared to the pre-pandemic year of 2019, however, average wagering per race day showed an over 20 percent increase in 2021 as the number of race days fell by 7.98 percent. That's despite the average field size dropping from 7.53 in 2019 to 7.37 in 2021.

Total purses showed the largest percentage increase from 2020 to 2021, up 35.77 percent and 10.09 percent per race day.

Overall, the numbers suggest the horse racing industry is recovering from the pandemic, but also that it is struggling to retain field size as foal crops have declined in numbers.

YTD 2021 vs. YTD 2020
Indicator	YTD 2021	YTD 2020	% Change
Wagering on U.S. Races*	$12,218,407,637	$10,922,936,290	+11.86%
U.S. Purses	$1,180,853,677	$869,771,206	+35.77%
U.S. Race Days	4,072	3,302	+23.32%
U.S. Races	33,567	27,700	+21.18%
U.S. Starts	247,416	220,006	+12.46%
Average Field Size	7.37	7.94	-7.20%
Average Wagering Per Race Day	$3,000,591	$3,307,976	-9.29%
Average Purses Per Race Day	$289,994	$263,407	+10.09%

1st Half 2021 vs. 1st Half 2020
Indicator	1st Half 2021	1st Half 2020	% Change
Wagering on U.S. Races*	$6,279,039,094	$5,054,526,907	+24.23%
U.S. Purses	$515,151,692	$324,168,648	+58.91%
U.S. Race Days	1,881	1,301	+44.58%
U.S. Races	15,792	10,906	+44.80%
U.S. Starts	117,303	88,074	+33.19%
Average Field Size	7.43	8.08	-8.02%
Average Wagering Per Race Day	$3,338,139	$3,885,109	-14.08%
Average Purses Per Race Day	$273,871	$249,169	+9.91%

2nd Half 2021 vs. 2nd Half 2020
Indicator	2nd Half 2021	2nd Half 2020	% Change
Wagering on U.S. Races*	$5,939,368,543	$5,868,409,383	+1.21%
U.S. Purses	$665,701,985	$545,602,558	+22.01%
U.S. Race Days	2,191	2,001	+9.50%
U.S. Races	17,775	16,794	+5.84%
U.S. Starts	130,113	131,932	-1.38%
Average Field Size	7.32	7.86	-6.82%
Average Wagering Per Race Day	$2,710,803	$2,932,738	-7.57%
Average Purses Per Race Day	$303,835	$272,665	+11.43%

4th QTR 2021 vs. 4th QTR 2020
Indicator	4th QTR 2021	4th QTR 2020	% Change
Wagering on U.S. Races*	$2,720,738,901	$2,576,392,869	+5.60%
U.S. Purses	$300,299,698	$240,534,957	+24.85%
U.S. Race Days	870	793	+9.71%
U.S. Races	7,339	6,805	+7.85%
U.S. Starts	56,789	55,530	+2.27%
Average Field Size	7.74	8.16	-5.17%
Average Wagering Per Race Day	$3,127,286	$3,248,919	-3.74%
Average Purses Per Race Day	$345,172	$303,323	+13.80%

December 2021 vs. December 2020
Indicator	December 2021	December 2020	% Change
Wagering on U.S. Races*	$808,907,627	$751,783,126	+7.60%
U.S. Purses	$74,777,035	$57,534,410	+29.97%
U.S. Race Days	251	229	+9.61%
U.S. Races	2,151	2,008	+7.12%
U.S. Starts	17,257	16,884	+2.21%
Average Field Size	8.02	8.41	-4.59%
Average Wagering Per Race Day	$3,222,740	$3,282,896	-1.83%
Average Purses Per Race Day	$297,916	$251,242	+18.58%

2019 Comparisons:

YTD 2021 vs. YTD 2019
Indicator	YTD 2021	YTD 2019	% Change
Wagering on U.S. Races*	$12,218,407,637	$11,033,824,363	+10.74%
U.S. Purses	$1,180,853,677	$1,167,920,667	+1.11%
U.S. Race Days	4,072	4,425	-7.98%
U.S. Races	33,567	36,207	-7.29%
U.S. Starts	247,416	272,553	-9.22%
Average Field Size	7.37	7.53	-2.08%
Average Wagering Per Race Day	$3,000,591	$2,493,520	+20.34%
Average Purses Per Race Day	$289,994	$263,937	+9.87%

1st Half 2021 vs. 1st Half 2019
Indicator	1st Half 2021	1st Half 2019	% Change
Wagering on U.S. Races*	$6,279,039,094	$5,672,774,271	+10.69%
U.S. Purses	$515,151,692	$544,002,132	-5.30%
U.S. Race Days	1,881	2,104	-10.60%
U.S. Races	15,792	17,457	-9.54%
U.S. Starts	117,303	130,239	-9.93%
Average Field Size	7.43	7.46	-0.44%
Average Wagering Per Race Day	$3,338,139	$2,696,185	+23.81%
Average Purses Per Race Day	$273,871	$258,556	+5.92%

2nd Half 2021 vs. 2nd Half 2019
Indicator	2nd Half 2021	2nd Half 2019	% Change
Wagering on U.S. Races*	$5,939,368,543	$5,361,050,092	+10.79%
U.S. Purses	$665,701,985	$623,918,535	+6.70%
U.S. Race Days	2,191	2,321	-5.60%
U.S. Races	17,775	18,750	-5.20%
U.S. Starts	130,113	142,314	-8.57%
Average Field Size	7.32	7.59	-3.56%
Average Wagering Per Race Day	$2,710,803	$2,309,802	+17.36%
Average Purses Per Race Day	$303,835	$268,815	+13.03%

4th QTR 2021 vs. 4th QTR 2019
Indicator	4th QTR 2021	4th QTR 2019	% Change
Wagering on U.S. Races*	$2,720,738,901	$2,439,642,344	+11.52%
U.S. Purses	$300,299,698	$274,053,649	+9.58%
U.S. Race Days	870	910	-4.40%
U.S. Races	7,339	7,653	-4.10%
U.S. Starts	56,789	61,576	-7.77%
Average Field Size	7.74	8.05	-3.83%
Average Wagering Per Race Day	$3,127,286	$2,680,926	+16.65%
Average Purses Per Race Day	$345,172	$301,158	+14.61%

December 2021 vs. December 2019
Indicator	December 2021	December 2019	% Change
Wagering on U.S. Races*	$808,907,627	$707,728,171	+14.30%
U.S. Purses	$74,777,035	$66,315,581	+12.76%
U.S. Race Days	251	252	-0.40%
U.S. Races	2,151	2,169	-0.83%
U.S. Starts	17,257	17,561	-1.73%
Average Field Size	8.02	8.10	-0.91%
Average Wagering Per Race Day	$3,222,740	$2,808,445	+14.75%
Average Purses Per Race Day	$297,916	$263,157	+13.21%

The post Economic Indicators: U.S. Wagering Tops $12 Billion In 2021 For Highest Total Handle Since 2009 appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Lone Star Boosts Thoroughbred Stakes Schedule By $600,000 For 2022

Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie, Texas announced Tuesday a $600,000 increase to its 2022 Thoroughbred stakes schedule, including a total of 21 races worth $2,825,000.

The highlight of the schedule is Lone Star Million Day on Memorial Day, and the marquee race on the card is the Grade 3, $400,000 Steve Sexton Mile, for 3-year-olds and up at one mile. New to this year's Lone Star Million day card will be the $100,000 guaranteed Speightstown Sprint for 3-year-olds and up going six furlongs on the dirt.

Lone Star Showcase Day will be held June 19 with five stakes worth a total of $375,000, while the Summer Turf Festival will be returning July 16 with four stakes worth a total of $750,000. Stars of Texas Day will be held July 17 with five stakes worth $425,000.

The 2022 Thoroughbred racing season will begin April 28 and conclude July 24, with total purses averaging an estimated $268,000 per day for the 48-day meet.

The post Lone Star Boosts Thoroughbred Stakes Schedule By $600,000 For 2022 appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Mahoning Valley Raises Purses 10%

Mahoning Valley Race Course raised purses 10%, effective Dec. 21. This is the second increase of the year. “We have had a good year here at Mahoning Valley, setting several handle records along the way,” comments Elizabeth Rogers, Assistant Director of Racing, “the timing of this increase will help us set the stage for an even better 2022.”

The post Mahoning Valley Raises Purses 10% appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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