Huge Turnaround Propels Gulfstream Park to Handle Jump

 

 

Huge Turnaround Propels Gulfstream Park to Handle Jump

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL (Sat, April 24, 2010) - Anchored by a record-setting Florida Derby Day, Gulfstream Park ended its 79-day meet with total handle of $550.9 million, an increase of 4.2-percent over 2009.

With arguably the worst winter ever in South Florida in terms of both cold and rain, eventually forcing 42 races off the turf compared to just 12 in 2009, Gulfstream Park was showing tremendous declines on its live racing. At the end of January, on-track handle was down 19-percent while all sources was down 13-percent. As the meet concluded, the on-track decline was all but erased (down less than 1-percent) while all sources handle soared to be up 4.2-percent.

“We faced a series of challenges this year, but through the support of our horsemen and fans around the country, we turned it around,” said Ken Dunn, President and General Manager of Gulfstream Park. “When you look at the field for this year’s Kentucky Derby, and other stakes around the country, the quality of the program speaks for itself.”

An exceptionally strong Florida Derby Day on March 20 posted significant on-track gains from the year before (24% handle increase and 42% attendance increase) and set the all sources mark of $21,061,689 since the new facility opened in 2006.

The Florida Derby also produced one of the leading contenders for the Kentucky Derby in Ice Box, who leads an incredibly strong contingent of Gulfstream-raced horses in the Kentucky Derby. As many as ten of the starters raced at Gulfstream this winter, including likely favorite Eskendereya, who won the Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth.

For the seventh consecutive year, Todd Pletcher was leading trainer. Paco Lopez was leading rider while Frank Carl Calabrese was leading owner.

Meet Totals

	2009 Total	2010 Total	% Diff
On-Track	42,270,739	41,865,523	-0.96%
ITW	30,943,035	30,767,846	-0.57%
ISW	455,610,166	478,283,980	4.98%
Total	528,823,940	550,917,350	4.18%

 

Florida Derby Day (Saturday, March 20)

	2009 Total	2010 Total	% Diff
On-Track	1,974,133	2,453,489	24.28%
ITW	1,115,840	1,181,074	5.85%
ISW	15,380,405	17,427,126	13.31%
Total	18,470,378	21,061,689	14.03%

 

Florida Derby Attendance: 10,125 (2009) vs. 14,414 (2010) (+42%)

- END -

 

 

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Travis Stone

Media Manager, Gulfstream Park

Phone: (954) 457-6331

E-Mail: travis.stone@gulfstreampark.com

 

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