Total handle increased slightly at the 2013 Belmont Park spring/summer meet, which ran 56 days from April 26 through July 14, according to figures provided by the New York Racing Association July 21.
All-sources handle on NYRA races was $573 million, up 1.2% from $566 million for a 55-day meet in 2012. Total handle, including simulcast races, was $643 million, up 1.1% from $636 million last year.
Average daily all-source handle declined from $10.3 million last year to $10.1 million in 2013, while total handle (including simulcast races) was also down slightly, from $11.56 million to $11.48 million.
On-track handle on NYRA races was $78 million, down 10.4% from $88 million in 2012.
Attendance at Belmont Park decreased 14.1% to 282,488 from 328,915 in 2012, when the expectation of a Triple Crown bid by I'll Have Another helped attract a crowd of 85,811 to the Belmont Stakes (gr. I). Attendance at this year’s Belmont Stakes was 47,562. On-track handle for the 2013 Belmont Stakes Day card was $10,700,326 and total handle was $88,652,023, compared to $13,777,920 and $96,485,985, respectively, last year.
There were 542 races run this year compared to 525 in 2012 when a full race card was canceled June 21 due to heat and when five races were lost a day later because of a storm and power outage at Belmont Park. Average betting interests per race decreased 6% to 7.7 (4,189 total) compared to 8.2 (4,312 total) in 2012. Turf races increased to 234 with 48 taken off the turf, compared to 225 on and 59 off in 2012.
Below are the exact totals for the 2013 Belmont Park spring/summer meeting as compared to last year:
Racing Days
56 in 2013, 55 in 2012
Belmont Park Attendance
Down 14.1% (282,488 vs. 328,915)
Aqueduct Simulcast Center Attendance
Up 4.2% (126,974 vs. 121,820)
On-Track Handle* (including simulcast races)
Down 5.6% ($148,438,004 vs. $157,259,553)
On-Track Handle* (NYRA races only)
Down 10.4% ($78,472,865 vs. $87,660,853)
Total Handle (including simulcast races)
Up 1.1% ($643,120,556 vs. $636,065,934)
Total Handle (NYRA races only)
Up 1.2% ($573,149,866 vs. $566,467,233)
NYRA Rewards Wagering
Phone down 5.6% ($15,007,849 vs. $15,903,961)
Internet up 6.2% ($29,633,033 vs. $27,892,104)
Aqueduct Wagering
Up 2.3% ($37,385,576 vs. $36,541,127)
* NYRA on-track wagering numbers include handle wagered on-track at Belmont Park, through NYRA Rewards account wagering, and at the Aqueduct simulcast center.
