Because race days have not had to be canceled this
year, Turfway Park is forced to reduce overnight purses by 25 percent
beginning with Saturday's program.
Turfway, home of the Vinery
Racing Spiral Stakes, is trying to make up for an overpayment of purses
due to the fact that better than normal weather has kept the track from
canceling race days.
"We have actually paid out almost 12 percent
more in purses so far this year compared to 2011; however, most of the
overpayment resulted from not having to cancel any race cards this
winter, a contingency we take into account but cannot predict, as the
current mild winter proves," explained Turfway Park president and CEO
Robert N. Elliston. "Compounding the problem is that wagering both on
track and at other outlets is down 6 percent from where we expected it
to be.