All American Become Richest Horse Race in North America

All American Become Richest Horse Race in North America:

RUIDOSO, (Ruidoso Downs) – The 2012 running of the Grade 1 All American Derby purse will exceed the historic $2,000,000 mark and reset the all-time record for any quarter horse race for three-year-old and older quarter horses.

The All American Derby becomes the richest race in North America for three-year-olds of any breed, exceeding the $2,000,000 Kentucky Derby for thoroughbreds. The Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes, the other two legs of the Triple Crown, each offer $1,000,000 purses. The All American Derby also surpasses the $1,500,000 purse for the Hambletonian for three-year-old standardbred trotters.

Ruidoso Downs becomes the only track offering two $2,000,000 races with the All American Derby joining the Grade 1, $2,400,000 All American Futurity. The All American Derby is contested on the day before Labor Day and the All American Futurity is run on Labor Day, closing day of the summer season. The All American Futurity is the richest race in North America for a two-year-old of any breed.

The 2010 All American Derby had a purse of $1,548,685, the current all-time highest purse for a three-year-old or older quarter horse race. This year’s All American Derby had a purse of $1,316,760.

The 2012 renewals of the Grade 1 Rainbow Derby and the Grade 1 Ruidoso Derby are expected to set new purse records with the Rainbow Derby reaching $900,000 and the Ruidoso Derby exceeding $700,000.

The total purses for the three derbies at Ruidoso Downs will exceed $3,600,000, approaching the $4,000,000 in purses for the thoroughbred Triple Crown.

There is still time for owners of horses who missed the October 1 sustaining payments to these three grade 1 derbies to regain eligibility to these races that comprise three of the four richest derbies in quarter horse racing. A late payment of twice the October 1 payment is due before November 1 to regain eligibility to the All American, Rainbow and Ruidoso derbies. This payment is for only for owners who missed the October 1 payment.