Attendance, on-track handle, and total handle all posted gains over 2011 totals as 25,676 turned out for opening day of the 144th meeting at Saratoga Race Course in upstate New York July 20.
Attendance was up 2.1% from 25,155 in 2011. On-track handle for the 10-race card totaled $4,075,817, up 14.8% from $3,551,745 on opening day in 2011.
Wagering downstate at the Belmont Café and Aqueduct simulcast center was $459,648 for a combined on-track handle of $4,535,465, up 14.6% from $3,959,128 last year.
All-sources handle, which includes wagers on Saratoga races both on-track and from simulcast outlets nationwide, was $16,690,234, up 5.2% from $15,871,449 in 2011.
"Our fans on track and across the country responded to a great day of racing," said Ellen McClain, New York Racing Association president and chief operating officer. "We appreciate their patience with opening day complications such as sporadic shutdowns of the new wireless internet service, television and public address system issues, and a drop in water pressure at approximately 3 p.m. We will be working through the night to resolve all of these matters."
