Top Money winners through 1920

[cmorioles]

Originally Posted by pointman

The anti-gambling sentiment in the U.S. caused a drop of the number of race tracks in the U.S. from 314 in 1890 to 25 in 1908. This likely explains the drop in purses.

We need a drop in tracks like that now!

[Linny]

When Domino won the Futurity in 1893 the purse was $50k. The American Derby the next year was $25K and the Suburban was workth $6200.


When Sysonby won the Futurity in 1904 the purse was $48k. He won the Metropolitan in his 3yo debut with a $12k purse. Among the other NY fixtures he won in 1905 were the Realization ($20k), the Great Rupublic at Saratoga ($50k) and the Annual Champion worth $25k.

Soon after the purses plunged. Colin's Futurity in '07 was worth "only" $28k and while still far ahead of most purses it represented a huge decline. By the time Man O' War won in 1919, the purse was back up to $31k. The Realization was up to $16k and the Traer which had been restored to prominence was at $12k.

A fw years later ('22) Zev was second in the Futurity with a $55k purse.