Francesca LeDonne Photo

Eleven trainers amass more than $34,000 in bonus money as part of NYRA Starter Loyalty Program

by Brian Bohl

Eleven trainers conditioned 13 total winners who earned a collective bonus of $34,224 as part of the New York Racing Association's Starter Loyalty Program during the week of March 15-17 at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Linda Rice and Hall of Famer Bill Mott both trained two qualified winners during the week. Mott saw the group's lone stakes winner, Gold-member Durkin's Call, earn a $4,125 bonus for capturing the $100,000 Gander on Sunday for owners Wachtel Stable, Peter Deutsch and Christopher Dunn, while stablemate Prompt [owned by James Karp] kicked off the week when the Silver member earned an additional $1,925 for winning Race 2 on March 15.

On Sunday, Rice saw Platinum-member Expert, a 4-year-old colt owned by All in the Family Racing, win the card's opening race, collecting a bonus of $3,781. It was the second win of the week by the trainer-ownership tandem, who saw fellow Platinum-member Vincento win Friday's Race 8 and earn an additional $4,606.

Saturday saw five of the day's nine total winners earn bonus money as Starter Loyalty Program members, including Latin Love Bug, co-owned and trained by John Toscano, Jr. The New York-bred, a Diamond member, earned an additional $2,310. Latin Love Bug was Toscano's fourth qualified winner of 2019.

"It's a great program. They've really increased the purses," Toscano said. "It's a real feather in our cap."

Implemented on April 2, 2018, the Starter Loyalty Program provides Silver- through Diamond-level purse bonuses between 5 and 15 percent on money earned in a qualifying race, based on their number of starts at NYRA tracks through April 1, 2019.

For more information on the Starter Loyalty Program, visit https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/horsemen/2018-19-sta...

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NYRA 2018-19 Loyalty Program, at a glance:
From the period between April 2, 2018 through April 1, 2019

• NYRA Silver: Starts 5 and 6
  • Runners will compete for 5% more purse money
• NYRA Gold: Starts 7, 8, and 9
  • Runners will compete for 7.5% more purse money
• NYRA Platinum: Starts 10 and 11
  • Runners will compete for 12.5% more purse money
• NYRA Diamond: Starts 12 and higher
  • Runners will compete for 15% more purse money

For example, for $100,000 stakes races this winter at Aqueduct, a NYRA Silver member could receive an additional $2,750 on top of the $55,000 winner's share of the purse. For a stakes at the same level, a NYRA Platinum member could earn an additional $6,875 above the $55,000 winner's share.

The number of starts transfer with horses that are claimed or have undergone ownership changes.

Qualifying starts for bonus money include any winners' races. Maiden races do not award purse bonuses but are counted as starts. For example, if a horse breaks his maiden on his fifth start of the season, his sixth start will be in a winners' race and therefore he would be considered a Silver member.

Races not counted as a qualifying start include any race in which a horse is beaten by 25 lengths or more, or any race in which a horse is placed on the vet's list for lameness or unsoundness. The horse must be declared an official starter to get credit for the start. Only two starts in a 30-day period are counted toward the program. The third start during that period of time is not eligible for program participation. Additionally, award money is not paid on breeders' purse supplements.