The recent announcement that the Charles Town Classic (gr. II) will be worth $1.5 million in 2013 -- with one million going to the winner -- could have a major impact on the racing scene in future years.
The nine-furlong race has been slowly garnering prestige during the past several years, thanks to a couple of factors. First off, its rich purse -- previously an even million -- made it one of the richer races in the country. Furthermore, its positioning in mid-April makes it a very appealing spot for the spring's best older males, with only the $500,000 Oaklawn Handicap (gr. II) competing against it for top horses.
But despite the massive purse, the Charles Town Classic has had a bit of difficulty drawing top-name horses. Perhaps the unique nature of the race -- being a three-turn nine furlong event -- scares off some good horses that might otherwise compete.
However, the purse increase should enable the race to draw its highest quality field ever next year. A million dollars to the winner? There are only a handful of races in the entire country -- the Breeders' Cup Classic, Breeders' Cup Turf, and Kentucky Derby -- that pay much more than that. Furthermore, that's over three times what the winner of the Oaklawn Handicap receives, making the race a very lucrative goal for horses coming out of the Santa Anita Handicap or the Donn Handicap.
True, the race remains a three-turn affair, and there will always be horses that pass it for that reason. But there a very few opportunities to race for a million dollars in prize money, and I'm hopeful that that added incentive will help the race draw a truly spectacular field next year.
-Keelerman
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