What's With This "Refund" Business?

[Thomas Roulston]

I've never understood this practice of giving owners of horses nominated to a stakes race a refund of most of the entry fee if the horse does start.

The trend has now spread to NYRA - see the Belmont condition book. Plus NYRA now charges no nomination fee, just a fee to enter (i.e., pass the entry box), with 2/3 to 3/4 of that being refunded if the horse does run.

For some reason, I've always associated policies like this with minor-circuit tracks.

[samyn on the green]

The refund is to encourage owners to start the horse so the stakes races have full fields and to maximize handle on these races.

[onefast99]

The refund is to encourage owners to start the horse so the stakes races have full fields and to maximize handle on these races.
Exactly.