With less than two months to go in 2009, total handle on United States Thoroughbred racing continues to be almost 11% less than the same period in 2008.
3 days ago
The president of Churchill Downs Inc. said he believes recent developments with the makeup of the Kentucky General Assembly are positive and could help lead to legalization of video lottery terminals at racetracks in the state.
Friday, October 30, 2009
Delaware Park raced 27 fewer days this year but registered increases in total handle and average daily handle, track officials said Oct. 28.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Churchill Downs and Kentucky horsemen have reached a three-year agreement that sets purse payments, establishes purse supplements and ends a legal dispute that began in the spring of 2008.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Wagering on Thoroughbred races in the United States was only down less than 1% in September, but for the year still lags 2008 by more than $1 billion.
Sunday, October 04, 2009
Hoosier Park Racing & Casino has announced purse increase that has put purses about 20% higher than they were when its meet began July 30. Thus far, the Indiana track has paid about $30,000 more a day than Turfway Park in neighboring Kentucky.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Delaware Park and the Delaware Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association have agreed to shave seven days from the track's 2009 racing schedule because of a decline in revenue from video lottery terminals. The change must be approved by the Delaware Thoroughbred Racing Commission.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
A shorter racing week helped Del Mar register gains in average daily attendance and pari-mutuel handle, the California racetrack reported Sept. 9, closing day of the meet.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Pari-mutuel handle on United States racing continued its decline in August despite the country's two premier summer meets at Del Mar and Saratoga.
Friday, September 04, 2009
The Ohio State Racing Commission has approved 2010 racing dates for two Thoroughbred tracks, but the facilities still have no agreement with horsemen on the schedules.
Friday, September 04, 2009
Kentucky horsemen are hoping "light at the end of the tunnel" could help facilitate a contract for the upcoming Turfway Park meet.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Purses may be down across the country, but stakes purses at Oaklawn Park will be higher in 2010 than they were in 2009 according to report on Arkansas Sports 360.com.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
The Ohio State Racing Commission Aug. 20 brought the grade II Ohio Derby back to the schedule this year by ordering a reduction of five live racing days at Thistledown, traditional host for the only graded stakes in the Buckeye State.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Hoosier Park Racing & Casino will raise purses 12% beginning Aug. 19, citing a "conservative approach" taken with the purse account when the meet began in late July.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Twelve more races qualified under the purse incentive program created to increase field size during week two of the 2009 Saratoga Race Course meet, according to The New York Racing Association. Purse increases from incentives during the meet's second week totaled $74,750, a 16.5% advance over the original purse values.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
A reduction in stakes purses for its upcoming meet will allow Turfway Park to maintain overnight purses and racing days, but track officials are thinking ahead to 2010, when that probably won't be the case.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Wagering on racing in the United States continued its negative trend in July, with a 13.4% decline from the same month last year. Purses dropped 7.35%.
Wednesday, August 05, 2009
Ellis Park got the official OK to add five days of racing to its current meet, and Keeneland will be permitted to change the way it divvies up purses in each race.
Tuesday, August 04, 2009
A New York horsemen's group will continue to get additional purse money to fund its operations, including health benefits for backstretch workers at New York Racing Association tracks, under final passage of legislation July 16 by the state Senate.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Democratic Gov. Ted Strickland signed a directive July 13 instructing the director of the Ohio Lottery to immediately begin taking steps to implement video lottery terminals at the seven racetracks in Ohio. But questions remain as to how the racing and breeding industry will benefit.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Democratic Gov. Ted Strickland said July 10 he will sign an executive order authorizing video lottery terminals at Ohio's seven racetracks, but questions remain as to how much revenue -- if any -- purses and breed development will receive.
Friday, July 10, 2009
Keeneland has a new sponsor for the grade I Breeders' Futurity, but the "economic climate" led the Kentucky racetrack to reduce fall stakes purses by $275,000, officials said July 9.
Thursday, July 09, 2009
Keeneland has a new sponsor for the grade I Breeders' Futurity, but the "economic climate" led the Kentucky racetrack to reduce fall stakes purses by $275,000, officials said July 9.
Thursday, July 09, 2009
Horsemen at Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course will compete for $400,000 in overnight purses July 11 as part of a horsemen's appreciation program.
Thursday, July 09, 2009
Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course announced that a purse increase that went into effect June 11 raised the daily average purses at the track to a record $170,000.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Four horsemen's and breeders' organizations in Indiana said June 16 they will, over a three-year period, give racetracks a share of their revenue from slot machines to help stabilize the tracks.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Evangeline Downs Racetrack & Casino has announced a 10% purse increase for all overnight races effective June 13.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Pari-mutuel handle, purses, and race days all declined in May compared with the same month in 2008, according to the Thoroughbred Racing Economic Indicators released June 4.
Thursday, June 04, 2009
Charles Town Races & Slots will offer purse incentives in certain races with seven or more starters effective June 6 in an effort to increase field size.
Monday, June 01, 2009
Lone Star Park announced May 10 that it will cut overnight purses by 6% effective May 22, not run one stakes and cut the purse for three other stakes.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Presque Isle Downs & Casino near Erie, Pa., will begin its 100-night meet May 8 with more exposure for its signal.
Friday, May 08, 2009
Tampa Bay Downs reported May 7 a 2.7% decline in all-sources handle for its recently-concluded 2008-2009 winter/spring meet at the racetrack located in Oldsmar, Fla.
Thursday, May 07, 2009
The New Jersey racing scene shifts to Monmouth Park May 9 after kicking off with a six-day Atlantic City Race Course meet at which total handle quadrupled.
Tuesday, May 05, 2009
Wagering on United States Thoroughbred racing in the first four months of the year declined 9.5%, according to Equibase's "Thoroughbred Racing Economic Indicators" released May 4.
Monday, May 04, 2009
A "benchmark report" on slot machines in Pennsylvania shows a 39.3% increase in purses paid at Thoroughbred and Standardbred racetracks from 2007 to 2008, but double-digit declines in total pari-mutuel handle during the same period.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Oaklawn Park realized an increase in handle and attendance during its 54-day meet that ended April 11, according to a published report.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Wagering continued its decline in 2009 in a year-over-year comparison, falling 9.4% through March, according to data released April 3 by Equibase.
Friday, April 03, 2009
Thistledown, at the suggestion of the Ohio Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association, has suspended the $300,000 Ohio Derby (gr. II) for 3-year-olds. The race was to have its 75th running in 2009.
Wednesday, April 01, 2009
The Ontario Racing Commission March 25 approved $47.1 million Canadian for the 2009 Horse Improvement Program, which funds stakes, breed development, and equine research for Thoroughbred and Standardbred racing.
Friday, March 27, 2009
Citing continued success in all product lines during its current live racing season, Oaklawn Park officials March 21 announced a second purse increase.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Saying five of the state's seven racetracks will close without assistance from the legislature, the Ohio State Racing Commission March 19 released a draft plan for 14,000 video lottery terminals that would be located at tracks.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
The Maryland Jockey Club March 17 officially unveiled a 2009 spring stakes schedule at Pimlico Race Course that's down about $1 million from last year and doesn't include the grade I Pimlico Special.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
The economy continues to take its toll on racetracks, including those with alternative gaming. Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack & Resort in West Virginia said it will cut overnight purses 10% effective April 20.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Turfway Park has canceled its third consecutive Monday program because of a shortage of horses, officials said March 13.
Friday, March 13, 2009
Fort Erie Race Track & Slots in Ontario, Canada, will offer live Thoroughbred racing this year, and the local horsemen's group is asking for support from owners and trainers.
Friday, March 13, 2009
Pimlico Race Course has reduced its spring meet to 20 days and won't hold the Pimlico Special this year. The grade I race for older horses wasn't run in 2007 for financial reasons, but returned in 2008 with a reduced purse of $250,000.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine signed an executive order March 5 creating a commission to study the state's horse racing industry and develop solutions for its long-term viability. The casino industry, which for years has subsidized horse racing in the state, will be involved in preparing the blueprint.
Friday, March 06, 2009
Wagering on United States races in February totaled $999,815,818, down 11.63% from $1,131,333,323 the same month a year earlier despite a 3.38% increase in the number of racing days.
Wednesday, March 04, 2009
Turfway Park is having a tough time making up for programs canceled because of the weather during the current winter/spring meet.
Friday, February 27, 2009
Ohio is among the weakest when it comes to Thoroughbred purses, but it's about to have the strongest rules governing registration of state-bred horses.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
