Delta Downs Racetrack Casino & Hotel concluded its 2011-2012 Thoroughbred season the night of March 17. The 88-day meeting produced record wagering amounts in several categories as well as sizable increases in handle.
Overall, the season produced a 5.62% increase in total handle from last year. The 2011-2012 meeting attracted $129,156,637 in total wagers compared to $122,282,916 for 2010-2011.
The average daily amount wagered on Delta Downs this year was $1,467,689 compared to $1,405,551 last year. That represented an increase of 4.42%.
“We would like to thank all the horsemen and race fans that have made the last five months of racing at Delta Downs such a great success,” said Steve Kuypers, vice president and general manager of Delta Downs Racetrack Casino & Hotel, in a release. “Their support, along with the hard work and dedication of our entire staff, made for a tremendous season and we are looking forward to an even brighter future.”
This year’s $1 million Delta Downs Jackpot program, which featured the season’s only graded stakes, attracted an all-time record of $4,434,099 in total wagers from all sources. That figure represented a 16.1% increase over last year when fans poured $3,817,916 into the biggest race day of the meeting.
The Delta Downs Jackpot race also set a record of $1,306,435 in handle. That figure marked a 17.8% increase over the $1,108,577 in bets placed on the same race last year.
Overall, Delta Downs conducted 29 added-money events during the season and awarded a total of $4,235,000 in purse money.