Black Type Minimum Purse To Increase To $50,000 In 2008

The North American members of the Society of International Thoroughbred Auctioneers (SITA) remind the Thoroughbred industry that the minimum purse value for North American black-type races will increase from $45,000 to $50,000 beginning January 1, 2008.

The increase was first announced last July as one of several changes recommended by the North American representatives of the International Cataloguing Standards Committee (ICSC) and designed to maintain the standards of integrity for black type in North America.

In order for a stakes race in the United States or Canada to receive black type in SITA catalogues, it must:

Scroll to continue with content

close at least 72 hours in advance of its running, have an entry fee paid by the owner, and have a total purse value distributed on the day of the race equal to or greater than the established minimum
have all entries be eligible for the purse monies used to determine the minimum purse value for black type or listed status
not have restrictions other than state-bred, non-winners of a sweepstakes, sales graduates or stallionsâ€™ progeny
not contain a preference clause(s) based on criteria unrelated to the quality of the horse if such preference clause(s) could possibly exclude any horse(s) of superior quality from competing

The North American members of SITA and ICSC recommend that racing secretaries and trainers review the above conditions when writing or entering stakes races that they expect will receive SITA black type.