LEXINGTON, Ky. — The Breeders' Cup will slash $4.5 million in co-funding of stakes races at North American tracks in 2009 because of the economic downtown.

The cutback will affect 121 stakes races for Breeders' Cup-nominated horses at about 40 racetracks, spokesman Jim Gluckson said Friday. The Breeders' Cup kicked in extra purse money to what a track already offered for those races.

The reduction won't affect the two-day Breeders' Cup, scheduled for November at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif. The purse money of $25.5 million will remain the same as this year.

"Even with the difficult economic circumstances, the board was committed strongly to holding the line on championship purses," Breeders' Cup president and chief executive Greg Avioli said.

"While the financial results for the 2008 championships were solid, the combination of the economy and its effects on the sales and breeding segments of our business provides a challenging environment."

Martin Panza, racing secretary at Hollywood Park in Inglewood, Calif., said the cutback would cost his track $400,000 worth of funding for six races during the spring-summer meeting, including the Shoemaker Mile, Gamely Handicap and Swaps Stakes.

"Certainly it's hurt a little bit to lose that money, but in today's economy, no matter what business you're in, you have to expect things like that," Panza said, noting that many North American tracks have reduced purse money because wagering is down this year. "Unfortunately, we're not big enough to get bailouts."

The Breeders' Cup board of directors has reduced fees as a way to get more horses into the world championships.

Horses that were not nominated to the Breeders' Cup as foals can get in for $100,000, while horses whose sires were not nominated can enter for $200,000 — a reduction of $50,000 for both fees.

The Breeders' Cup will discontinue its supplemental nominations program that allowed non-nominated horses to enter a particular championship race by paying 9 percent to 15 percent of the purse.

The board also reinstated the 3 percent entry fees for championship races that were in place until 2005.