Limited purse incentives for overnight stakes runners

It was certainly odd to see the overnight Affiliate Stakes at Belmont on Saturday run for the same purse ($80,000) that sprint maiden special weights were just days before at Saratoga. And, indicating the limited options horse people have, the Affiliate drew a fine field, if a very small one of four horses. 2011 Vanderbilt winner Sean Avery made a successful return; Royal Currier and his seven 2011-12 stakes wins came up from Monmoth. I do think it could be said that, in the interests of fairness, more separation is needed in the money offered between overnght stakes and money allowances on the one hand, and maiden special weights and first allowances on the other.