Claiming race purses

[Mark Mclaughlin]

It states in HELP that they can be between 10 & 20K. OK, but I'm finding some puzzling. I've got one going in a 3.5K CP at Penny Pincher Park with a purse of 15K. Another is in a 12.5K CP at Dropping Downs with a purse of only 10K. Seems those purses should be switched. All I can guess is PPP is considered a more prestigious track but in my experience they're both rock bottom. Please answer if you can, TYIA.

[The Steward]

There are a lot of FAQ/Help articles that are wayyyy outdated and need to be redone; about 15-20 SIM years ago we added a LOT of claiming races including the "rock bottom" prices, to try to get people to race their horses rather than sending them to AJ.

I've heard from someone else that it's time for a big Help/FAQ overhaul and that's probably true!!

[Mark Mclaughlin]

Thanks, Steward, for your reply but doesn't address my question. I'm wondering why a $3,500 claiming price race has a higher purse than a 12,500 claiming price race. They are at different but similar tracks.

[The Steward]

Oops, reading comprehension is hard.

Different tracks get different purses. Your job as the trainer Why does Belmont get to run $50,000 maiden claimers for a $50,000 purse, and Santa Anita runs $50,000 maiden claimers for a $20,000 purse? Your job is to find the very best race as a trainer (weighing in the cost to get there, is it worth it?)

[Shannon Hunt]

I would see it as an incentive to drop a horse in price. Greater reward, but also greater risk of it getting claimed.

[The Steward]

I would see it as an incentive to drop a horse in price. Greater reward, but also greater risk of it getting claimed.

Totally!!!