Kentucky Downs opened its 21st season of live racing Sept. 7 by shattering the single-day wagering record as $2,837,897 was bet on Saturday's 10-race card.
With plenty of wagering options thanks to full fields targeting races that offered maiden special weight purses of $75,000, the handle mark showed a 108% increase over the 2012 opening day figure. The Franklin, Ky. track has been able to boost purses, in part, thanks to money generated by Instant Racing machines.
"Today's record-breaking results illustrate the positive impact we can have as an industry when we all work together," said Kentucky Downs president Corey Johnsen. "We were able to offer great purses, fueled mostly by Instant Racing, which attracted top horses, jockeys, and trainers. Couple those full fields with an attractive takeout and horseplayers around North American responded with a Kentucky Downs record handle."