More than $81.95 million was bet through Instant Racing machines at Kentucky Downs from Sept. 1, 2011, through April 30, 2012, according to the latest figures from the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission.
In those eight months the net racetrack commission was $5.73 million, of which $802,000 went to the purse fund and $57,300 to the Kentucky Thoroughbred Breeders’ Incentive Fund. Kentucky Downs kept roughly $4.9 million.
Of the state commission of $1.22 million, $614,000 was funneled to the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund, which supplements purses for Kentucky-bred horses. The state general fund earned $286,000 from last September through April.
Monthly wagering on Instant Racing machines, which resemble video lottery terminals but are considered pari-mutuel because the results of the games on historical races and the bets are pooled, had increased each month but fell in April to $14.14 million from a high of $15.01 million in March. The April total was still almost $2 million higher than the February total.
The biggest day for Instant Racing play was April 6, a Friday, when more than $1.1 million was pumped into the machines. April 21, a Saturday, was next at $768,000.
Kentucky Downs is the only track in the state with Instant Racing, though Ellis Park plans to open its parlor in July. Other tracks are waiting for the courts to rule on a challenge to the legality of Instant Racing before they move forward.