The Texas Thoroughbred Association stakes series will now include a TTA Derby and Oaks, it was announced Tuesday. The new TTA stakes schedule will offer purses totaling more than $500,000 and is restricted to graduates of the Texas Summer Yearling Sale Aug. 30 or Texas 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale next spring. It will feature Futurity divisions for both colts/geldings and fillies, worth $150,000 apiece (up from $100,000), on closing day weekend of the 2022 Lone Star Park Thoroughbred meet; and a $100,000 Oaks and Derby to be contested at a mile or more at Sam Houston Race Park in 2023. Horses need not be Texas-bred, and the previous payment schedule has been eliminated.
“In the last two years, Texas Thoroughbred racing has shown a resurgence due to the increased purse money at Lone Star Park and Sam Houston Race Park,” said Mary Ruyle, executive director of the TTA. “To continue to build on that progress, the TTA has revamped the Futurity and created a Derby and Oaks with significantly increased purses for all those races. We look forward to our yearling sale on August 30. Our goal is to create greater value for breeders, consignors and buyers.”
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