(Grand Prairie, Texas - Wednesday, February 5, 2020) - Lone Star Park officials have announced an increase of nearly 43 percentto overnight race purses for the upcoming Thoroughbred racing season. Overnight race purses this year average $200,000 per day, compared to $140,000 per day in 2019.

"This boost in overnight purses has energized Lone Star Park in a way that we haven't experienced in a lot of years," said Bart Lang, Director of Racing. "This is a very exciting time for the Grand Prairie, Texas racetrack!"

The increase is possible due to funds collected and distributed to the track by the passage last year of House Bill 2463. The new law, which went into effect September 1, enhances purses at the state's racetracks. The law will eventually put up to $25 million annually into escrow from a portion of the taxes collected on the sale of horse feed, supplements, bedding, tack and grooming supplies, plus any other taxable expenditure directly related to riding, boarding and owning horses.

Of the $25 million collected each year, up to $17.5 million will be available to Texas' racetrack operators strictly for purses. The other $7.5 million will be available to official breed registries to enhance their incentive programs. They include the Texas Thoroughbred Association, the Texas Quarter Horse Association, the Texas Arabian Breeders Association and the Texas Paint Horse Association.

Lone Star Park's Thoroughbred Racing Season opens Thursday, April 16 and continues through Sunday, July 19.