With sporadic rain showers throughout the day for Keeneland's fall meet opener Friday, which also marked the return to dirt for the Lexington track, attendance and handle figures were down compared with last year.
The important summer meetings at Del Mar and Saratoga Race Course each registered improved numbers compared with their 2013 seasons. Total handle was up at Del Mar; Saratoga saw total handle improve and a spike in attendance.
The Maryland Jockey Club reported record attendance for the May 17 Preakness Stakes (gr. I) program as well as an increase in total wagering from 2013.
Attendance for the May 17 Preakness Stakes (gr. I) was believed to be about 117,000 as of 3 p.m. EDT with hopes by management that the final tally will be even higher.
Weather conditions impacted the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes (gr. II) program at Pimlico Race Course May 16. Total wagering on the card was down more than 13% from last year.
Compared with 2012, average all-sources handle declined 17% at the recently completed Ellis Park summer meet, a decrease the track attributes to new competition and fewer off-track outlets in the state.
Saratoga Race Course reported gains in pari-mutuel handle and attendance for its Aug. 24 Travers Stakes (gr. I) program.
The New York Racing Association reported that all-sources wagering was up less than 1% and attendance down slightly during the first half of the 40-day meet at Saratoga Race Course.
Considering a Triple Crown was not on the line, the New York Racing Association reported some solid numbers for the June 8 Belmont Stakes (gr. I) day card.
Churchill Downs set a record for its May 3 Longines Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) program when more than $45.8 million was wagered on a 12-race card.
Atlantic City Race Course ended its six-day all turf meet May 1 with total pari-mutuel handle in excess of $1 million for a seven-race program.
In its first full year receiving added money for purses from the Resorts World Casino New York City at Aqueduct Racetrack, the New York Racing Association registered strong pari-mutuel handle in 2012.
Attendance of 34,619 at Santa Anita Park Nov. 2 for the first day of the 29th Breeders' Cup World Championships represented a 14.7% decline when compared with the first day at Churchill Downs a year ago.
Monmouth Park registered gains in average daily attendance but declines in pari-mutuel handle for its 65-day meet, officials said Oct. 7, closing day of the meet.
Attendance and handle, both ontrack and all-sources, were up substantially from 2011 figures for the Aug. 25 running of the $1 million Travers Stakes (gr. I) at Saratoga Race Course.
While all-sources wagering increased 7.6% during the first three weeks of the annual boutique meet at Saratoga Race Course, the upstate New York track reported attendance had dipped by 1.9% through Aug. 6.
Pari-mutuel handle at Del Mar continues to exceed 2011 levels, particularly on track, officials said July 29 after the second full week of racing.
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 July 20.
Racetracks reported an upswing in business because of the record-setting Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) program held May 5 at Churchill Downs.
In addition to record attendance, Churchill Downs reported record all-sources wagering of $187 million for its 13-race Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) program May 5.
Atlantic City Race Course wrapped up its six-day turf meet with large crowds and what was said to be the largest crowd at the New Jersey track in 25 years.
The Southern California track also reported its average daily handle up 9.5% but complete figures are not yet available for the 26-day Autumn meet.
Business at Monmouth Park this year expectedly dropped after what appears to be a one-time "Elite Meet" last year, but average daily figures were still much higher than those recorded for the comparable 2009 meet.
The Friday card had declines in attendance and handle coming off a record year in 2010 at Churchill Downs.
Keeneland overcame national trends during its 75th anniversary meet with a 9.3% gain in all-sources pari-mutuel handle on live races and an all-time attendance record for one meet.
Canterbury Park officials said overall business numbers for the Minnesota track's 2011 meet were "encouraging" in the face of 20 lost days caused by a state government shutdown.
Del Mar, California's summer boutique race meet, saw a slight decrease in attendance and a more significant slide in handle for its 37-day meeting that concluded Sept. 7.
Attendance and pari-mutuel handle were off slightly for the Aug. 27 Travers Stakes (gr. I) program at Saratoga as Hurricane Irene made its way up the East Coast.
Ontrack business at the current Saratoga meet after 28 days continues to run ahead of comparable figures for 2010, the New York Racing Association reported Aug. 22 as the fifth week of the meet ended.
Attendance and handle at Saratoga continue to post increases compared with 2010 through the second week of the meet, or 10 days, according to the New York Racing Association.
New York Racing Association reported that attendance for the first four days of its Saratoga meeting was up 2%, while all-sources handle rose 10%.
Lone Star Park ended its 2011 meet July 10 with gains in daily average attendance and purses but an overall decline in pari-mutuel handle.
Two purse increases and continued success with a night racing program highlighted the 38-day spring meet.
Pimlico Race Course reported its sixth-largest attendance and seventh-largest pari-mutuel handle for the Preakness Stakes (gr. I) program held May 21.
New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority officials said they were pleased with the numbers for opening weekend -- when compared with 2009 statistics and not those recorded last year for the "$50 million elite meet."
Churchill Downs announced record attendance of 164,858 for the May 7 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) program.
Oaklawn Park reported increases in attendance, pari-mutuel handle, and purses for its 2011 meet, which was impacted early on by weather-related cancellations.
Keeneland reported business gains for the first three days of its spring meet, including record attendance for a three-day period.
Gulfstream Park's combined pari-mutuel handle the weekend of April 2-3 was $33.6 million, shattering the previous weekend record set last year in Gulfstream's new building by 29%.
The Hong Kong Jockey Club kicked off its 2011 racing season Feb. 5 with impressive business numbers.
Racing is risking the loss of fans by complicating the core purpose of attendance, which is betting.
Gulfstream Park Racing & Casino reported strong gains in business for the first five days of its 2011 meet, which began Jan. 5. Handle thus far is up 17.2% in total.
Total handle -- including money wagered through a non-pari-mutuel betting exchange -- on the 2010 Breeders' Cup World Championships could approach $200 million, according to figures released by Breeders' Cup.
A greatly scaled-down meet offered fewer opportunities for horsemen but generated on-site gains at Retama Park, which wrapped up its live meet Oct. 23.
Through the first eight days of its fall meet, Keeneland reported solid increases in ontrack attendance and pari-mutuel handle, and steady all-sources wagering.
The attendance increased 33.7% from a year ago to 45,764.
Total wagering remained close to last year's comparable figure while attendance and ontrack handle inched upward despite two rainy days through the fourth full week of racing at Saratoga.
Del Mar reported an increase in average daily attendance and decrease in average daily handle for the first five weeks of its 2010 meet.
An ontrack crowd of 45,243 wagered $7,598,840 on Belmont Stakes Day races, a 15.6% decrease from $8,998,630 in 2009.
Attendance was up but total handle was down for this year's Preakness Stakes (gr. I) program at Pimlico Race Course May 15.
