Breeders' Cup may restore purse funds

By Matt Hegarty
The Breeders' Cup is discussing the possibility of reinstating a program providing purse supplements to stakes races because of widespread dissatisfaction with the organization's decision last week to suspend the program for one year, a senior official of the organization said Tuesday.
Pam Blatz-Murff, the Breeders' Cup's senior vice president of operations, said discussions are under way among the organization's directors about reinstating the program, which provided $5 million in supplements to 100 races at 40 racetracks in 2008. Blatz-Murff said that no decision has been reached, however.
"There has been quite a lot of conversations about the suspension, but as of right now the program is still suspended," Blatz-Murff said.
The Breeders' Cup's board of directors voted to suspend the program last week, citing a projected downturn in revenues from nomination fees because of the deteriorating worldwide economy.
The Breeders' Cup relies on nominations from breeders for roughly half of its annual revenues. After the supplemental-stakes program was suspended, many breeders were critical of the decision, and several said they would withhold nominating their foals to the Breeders' Cup as a result.