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NYRA To Offer Purse Increases On Overnight Races When Belmont Opens

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The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) will significantly increase purses on overnight races during the fall meet at the new Belmont Park, which will open for live racing Sept. 18, the track said via a Thursday press release.

NYRA has increased purses in the open allowance category by 15 percent from $100,000 to $115,000. In addition, first-level optional-claiming events will be offered for $105,000 and second-level optional-claiming races will be offered for $108,000.

Maiden special weight races will receive an 18 percent increase from $85,000 to $100,000, while New York-bred maiden special weights will enjoy a 25 percent boost from $80,000 to $100,000.

“By raising purses to record levels, NYRA is creating valuable racing opportunities for participants based in New York and those interested in experiencing Belmont Park for the first time,” said Andrew Offerman, NYRA SVP, Racing and Operations. “These new purse levels also emphasize the benefits of foaling in New York, which is centrally important to the future of racing in the Empire State.”

NYRA will begin a new era with an opening day program anchored by the GI Jockey Club Gold Cup, which provides a “Win and You’re In” berth to the Breeders’ Cup Classic. To celebrate the unveiling, NYRA will increase these record overnight purses by an additional 50 percent specifically for the Sept. 18 program.

The consolidation of NYRA’s downstate racing operations at Belmont will usher in an expanded fall meet featuring 32 graded events among 72 stakes races worth $17.7 million in total purses. Highlighted by a series of major Saturday race days beginning in September and continuing through Cigar Mile Day on Dec. 5, the fall meet will conclude on Dec. 6.

The first Belmont Park fall meet condition book will be released in August.

Click here for additional information on overnight purse increases.

The post NYRA To Offer Purse Increases On Overnight Races When Belmont Opens appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Renegade Back On the Worktab at Saratoga

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Repole Stable and Robert and Lawana Low’s Renegade (Into Mischief) returned to the worktab at Saratoga Thursday morning for the first time since being outfinished by ‘TDN Rising Star’ Golden Tempo (Curlin) in the May 2 GI Kentucky Derby, going a half-mile in :49.80 (8/22) in the company of Repole’s Powershift (Constitution). Both are possibilities for the $2-million GI Belmont Stakes at Saratoga on June 6.

Renegade, a flashy winner of the GI Arkansas Derby ahead of his effort at odds of 11-2 beneath the Twin Spires, worked to the outside of Powershift, who was an impressive maiden winner in the Derby day opener.

“I thought it was very good work for Renegade,” trainer Todd Pletcher said of the $975,000 Keeneland September yearling, bred by the Lows from their ‘TDN Rising Star’ Spice Is Nice (Curlin). “He’s a steady work horse and he recovered really quickly and didn’t seem to be fatigued at all from it, so I’m happy with it. Powershift is a good work horse, and they’ve been [work] companions quite a bit. They make good mates, and I thought they both went well.”

A $500,000 KEESEP acquisition, Powershift was runner-up to ‘Rising Star’ Emerging Market (Candy Ride {Arg}) on Tampa debut Feb. 7 and was sixth at odds of 7-2 to The Puma (Essential Quality) in the Mar. 7 GIII Tampa Bay Derby.

“I’ve got to talk to Mike [Repole], but we are considering the Belmont,” Pletcher said. “We’ve always thought a lot of him and I think they complement each other’s racing styles. It’s in play.”

The Pletcher barn is also set to be represented in the GI Hill ‘n’ Dale Metropolitan Mile Handicap by Centennial Farms’ Antiquarian (Preservationist), recent winner of the GIII Westchester Stakes at Aqueduct, and by Be You (Curlin) in the GIII True North Stakes. The latter, a latest fifth in the Knicks Go Overnight Stakes on Derby Day, went a half-mile in :49.25 (7/12) over the Oklahoma training track on Wednesday morning.

G1 Arkansas Derby winner RENEGADE breezed this morning outside last-out maiden winner POWERSHIFT in 49 and 4/5. HOF trainer Todd Pletcher said “we’ve always thought a lot of Powershift” and that the colt is now also possible for the @BelmontStakes. More later in @TheNYRA notes. pic.twitter.com/2yKi7ivHlR

— Mary Eddy (@singmysongbird) May 21, 2026

The post Renegade Back On the Worktab at Saratoga appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

NYRA To Offer Purse Increases On Overnight Races When Belmont Opens

---

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) will significantly increase purses on overnight races during the fall meet at the new Belmont Park, which will open for live racing Sept. 18, the track said via a Thursday press release.

NYRA has increased purses in the open allowance category by 15 percent from $100,000 to $115,000. In addition, first-level optional-claiming events will be offered for $105,000 and second-level optional-claiming races will be offered for $108,000.

Maiden special weight races will receive an 18 percent increase from $85,000 to $100,000, while New York-bred maiden special weights will enjoy a 25 percent boost from $80,000 to $100,000.

“By raising purses to record levels, NYRA is creating valuable racing opportunities for participants based in New York and those interested in experiencing Belmont Park for the first time,” said Andrew Offerman, NYRA SVP, Racing and Operations. “These new purse levels also emphasize the benefits of foaling in New York, which is centrally important to the future of racing in the Empire State.”

NYRA will begin a new era with an opening day program anchored by the GI Jockey Club Gold Cup, which provides a “Win and You’re In” berth to the Breeders’ Cup Classic. To celebrate the unveiling, NYRA will increase these record overnight purses by an additional 50 percent specifically for the Sept. 18 program.

The consolidation of NYRA’s downstate racing operations at Belmont will usher in an expanded fall meet featuring 32 graded events among 72 stakes races worth $17.7 million in total purses. Highlighted by a series of major Saturday race days beginning in September and continuing through Cigar Mile Day on Dec. 5, the fall meet will conclude on Dec. 6.

The first Belmont Park fall meet condition book will be released in August.

Click here for additional information on overnight purse increases.

The post NYRA To Offer Purse Increases On Overnight Races When Belmont Opens appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Renegade Back On the Worktab at Saratoga

---

Repole Stable and Robert and Lawana Low’s Renegade (Into Mischief) returned to the worktab at Saratoga Thursday morning for the first time since being outfinished by ‘TDN Rising Star’ Golden Tempo (Curlin) in the May 2 GI Kentucky Derby, going a half-mile in :49.80 (8/22) in the company of Repole’s Powershift (Constitution). Both are possibilities for the $2-million GI Belmont Stakes at Saratoga on June 6.

Renegade, a flashy winner of the GI Arkansas Derby ahead of his effort at odds of 11-2 beneath the Twin Spires, worked to the outside of Powershift, who was an impressive maiden winner in the Derby day opener.

“I thought it was very good work for Renegade,” trainer Todd Pletcher said of the $975,000 Keeneland September yearling, bred by the Lows from their ‘TDN Rising Star’ Spice Is Nice (Curlin). “He’s a steady work horse and he recovered really quickly and didn’t seem to be fatigued at all from it, so I’m happy with it. Powershift is a good work horse, and they’ve been [work] companions quite a bit. They make good mates, and I thought they both went well.”

A $500,000 KEESEP acquisition, Powershift was runner-up to ‘Rising Star’ Emerging Market (Candy Ride {Arg}) on Tampa debut Feb. 7 and was sixth at odds of 7-2 to The Puma (Essential Quality) in the Mar. 7 GIII Tampa Bay Derby.

“I’ve got to talk to Mike [Repole], but we are considering the Belmont,” Pletcher said. “We’ve always thought a lot of him and I think they complement each other’s racing styles. It’s in play.”

The Pletcher barn is also set to be represented in the GI Hill ‘n’ Dale Metropolitan Mile Handicap by Centennial Farms’ Antiquarian (Preservationist), recent winner of the GIII Westchester Stakes at Aqueduct, and by Be You (Curlin) in the GIII True North Stakes. The latter, a latest fifth in the Knicks Go Overnight Stakes on Derby Day, went a half-mile in :49.25 (7/12) over the Oklahoma training track on Wednesday morning.

G1 Arkansas Derby winner RENEGADE breezed this morning outside last-out maiden winner POWERSHIFT in 49 and 4/5. HOF trainer Todd Pletcher said “we’ve always thought a lot of Powershift” and that the colt is now also possible for the @BelmontStakes. More later in @TheNYRA notes. pic.twitter.com/2yKi7ivHlR

— Mary Eddy (@singmysongbird) May 21, 2026

The post Renegade Back On the Worktab at Saratoga appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.