NYRA raises purses for Saratoga's Belmont festival, summer meet
The New York Racing Association will increase purses for overnight races at Saratoga, where purse levels will be raised by nearly 14% blended across all categories during the Belmont Stakes racing festival and throughout the summer meet.
NYRA increased purses for open maiden special weights by 15%, from $100,000 to $115,000. In addition, first-level allowance events will be offered for $120,000 and second-level allowance races will be offered for $125,000.
To further incentivize participation at Saratoga this summer, NYRA will increase purses for the popular maiden allowance auction
Initially launched by NYRA in 2019, maiden allowance auction races are restricted to horses who either sold or RNA’d for $65,000 or less at their most recent public auction.
Last summer, Napoleon Solo, a $40,000 Keeneland September yearling sale purchase, graduated in a Spa maiden auction allowance en route to a memorable score in the Grade 1 Champagne at Belmont at the Big A for trainer Chad Summers and owner Gold Square.
NYRA’s commitment to elevating the state-bred program is reflected in significant purse increases for races restricted to New York-breds. These new purse levels will take effect beginning with the Belmont Stakes racing festival and continue through the summer meet, when maiden special weights will be run for $100,000, first-level allowance races for $105,000 and second-level allowance races for $110,000. In addition, New York-bred 2-year-old maiden special weight races will be run for $115,000.
The 2026 Belmont Stakes racing festival will be held at Saratoga from Wednesday, June 3, through Sunday, June 7. Highlighted by the 158th edition of Grade 1, $2 million Belmont Stakes on Saturday, June 6, the Festival will offer 25 stakes races worth $11.075 million in purses, including 10 Grade 1 races among 18 graded stakes.
The Saratoga summer meet will open Friday, July 3, and continue through Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 7. Highlighted by the 157th renewal of the Travers (G1) on Aug. 29 and the 99th edition of the Whitney (G1) on Aug. 8, the 46-day summer meet will offer 20 Grade 1 races among 73 stakes worth over $23.575 million in total purses.