NYRA offers owner, trainer bonus program for Belmont festival

The New York Racing Association launched a lucrative participation bonus program for owner and trainers at the four-day 2024 Belmont Stakes racing festival June 6-9 at Saratoga.

Highlighted by the 156th edition of the Belmont Stakes on Saturday, June 8, the four-day Belmont Stakes racing festival will include 24 stakes races with purses totaling $10.25 million, the highest purse levels and number of stakes offered since the launch of the multi-day festival in 2014.

Owners now will be eligible for a starter bonus for horses finishing fourth through last at the festival, with $1,500 awarded for stakes starters and $1,000 awarded to owners of starters in overnight races.

Trainers whose horses start in stakes races at the festival will receive a $750 bonus, and a $500 bonus will be awarded to trainers for starters in all overnight races.

“The bonus program along with a lucrative purse schedule should incentivize participation in what is sure to be a unique and special edition of the festival,” said Andrew Offerman, NYRA senior vice president of racing and operations.

Eligible horses must be declared an official starter and must not be placed on the poor performance list or veterinarian list. Trainers must comply with all NYRA and regulatory race and safety rules. NYRA reserves the right to determine eligibility for qualified starters. Steeplechase participants are not eligible.

The owner-trainer bonus program is offered in tandem with an increased purse schedule for the Belmont Stakes racing festival, which will see open maiden special weights offered for a purse of $100,000 and New York-bred maiden special weights competing for a purse of $85,000.

In addition, the open non-winners of two category will offer an increased purse of $115,000, and the non-winners of one category, at $110,000, and New York-bred non-winners of one category, $90,000, were boosted for the festival.

?