Turfway Reports Mixed Numbers for Fall Meet

Turfway Park ended its 2007 fall meet Oct. 4 with increases in on-track wagering and declines in all-sources wagering on its races compared with the same period in 2006.
 
On-track wagering rose 6.4% to $3,232,536 during the 22-day meet at the Florence, Ky. track.
 
“We are obviously very pleased with the excitement and energy generated on track," said Turfway Park president Robert N. Elliston in a news release. “The increase in this category is a demonstration that we’re reaching new fans in the greater Cincinnati market.”
 
All-sources wagering on Turfway races declined 8.8% to $53,395,447, including a drop of nearly 10% in out-of-state handle.
 
“We did see some softness in our off-track numbers, which can be attributed partly to ongoing difficulties in the account wagering market that excluded key providers who offered our races in 2006 from doing so this year,” Elliston said in the release. “Additionally, we competed with a new evening signal from Pennsylvania’s Presque Isle Downs, where daily purses of $500,000, supported by slots, drew some prominent horses that otherwise would have raced at Turfway.”
 
Apprentice Dylan Williams won leading rider honors with 27 wins, 23 seconds, and 19 thirds from 142 mounts, a 49% in-the-money performance. The title was the first at any track for the 16-year-old Williams, who was licensed Feb. 8. Second was defending meet champion Julien Leparoux with 21 wins from just 67 mounts. John McKee was third among jockeys with 16 wins from 88 mounts.
 
Trainer Eddie Kenneally won his first Turfway Park meet title, saddling seven winners from 25 starters for purses of $89,018. Michael Maker took second with six winners from 16 starters, while D. Wayne Lukas and David England tied for third among trainers with five wins each.
 
Leading owner was the partnership of David England and James Wright with five wins, three seconds, and three thirds from 18 starters for purses of $42,505. Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey were second with four firsts from 10 runners, while Franchise Thoroughbreds won with all three of its starters to finish third.
 
Field size for the meet rose slightly from 8.9 per race to 9.
 
Live racing returns to Turfway Nov. 25.