"The purses were also increased for the cheaper horses that fill in the everyday claiming races. As a result, horses running for a claiming price of $7,500 were running for a purse worth $30,000, which increased the number of starters and seemed like a home run for all involved. Instead, it turned out to be a nightmare for the NYRA when an astounding 18 horses suffered fatal breakdowns over the inner-dirt track during the winter meet. The majority of the breakdowns came in the cheaper claiming races, which tend to have the biggest field sizes and the horses with the most physical problems."

"One obvious conclusion is that horses in the cheaper claiming races are vulnerable. Of the 18 fatalities, 13 came in races where horses were running for a claiming price of $15,000 or less."

“The very simple answer is that the purse becomes more valuable than the horse,” Arthur said in early March. “It creates a negative incentive to look after the long-term welfare of the horse when the purse is so disproportionate to the value of the horse. That’s the thinking on it. The recommendation was basically to discourage incentives that would overpower the responsibility to look after the welfare of the horse.” See also: NYRA adjusts bottom-level purses: http://www.drf.com/news/aqueduct-nyra-adjust-bottom-claim-level-purses-following-breakdowns

I love this! Andy Serling and Eric Donovan honor winter meet stars.