Posted: Tuesday, March 09, 2010 10:50 AM

Hollywood Park reduced stakes purses by 27.5% to $5.8-million for the 60-day spring/summer meet that begins April 21.

Hollywood will offer 45 stakes races, down from 49 over 65 dates in 2009. The track trimmed its two richest races from last year, with the Hollywood Gold Cup Stakes (G1) cut from $700,000 to $500,000, and the American Oaks (G1) from $700,000 to $250,000.

The Ack Ack Handicap (G3), Cinema Handicap (G3), and Round Table Handicap (G3), Flawlessly Stakes, Gallant Man Stakes, and Khaled Stakes have all been shelved this year. The Jim Murray Memorial Handicap (G2) and Will Rogers Handicap (G3) both return from hiatus.

“We’ve made these changes in an effort to keep overnight purses as high as possible as we cope with the struggling economy,” said Martin Panza, Hollywood’s vice president of racing. “We’ve got to put as much money in overnight purses as possible to aid horsemen in these tough economic times.”

TVG/Betfair sponsored the Hollywood Gold Cup in 2009 when it was a handicap.

The American Oaks on July 3 and Hollywood Gold Cup on July 10 are two of seven Grade 1 races in the meet, along with the Gamely Stakes (G1) on May 29, Shoemaker Mile Stakes (G1) on May 31, Charles Whittingham Memorial Handicap (G1) on June 5, Vanity Handicap (G1) on June 13, and Triple Bend Handicap (G1) on July 10.

Return