TRENDS IN DISTRIBUTION OF RACES BY PURSES AND DISTANCES

Since 1996, the percentage of races for three-year-olds and up run at 6 furlongs and under has increased from 49.1% of all races to 50.7% in 2006. During the same time, the percentages of races for three-year-olds and up in the three longer distance categories all have declined marginally. Each distance category however, realized average purse money increases in 2006, with average purse money for races over 1 ¼ miles increasing 24.5%. This was due primarily to a decline in the number of lower-end races at extended distances coupled with purse increases for the Breeders’ Cup Turf and the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf, the latter of which returned to its traditional 1 3/8 miles distance in 2006 after being contested at 1 ¼ miles in 2005.

Trends in Distribution of Races by Purses and Distances