Monday, July 26, 2010
Contact: Dan Silver
dsilver@nyrainc.com
FAVORABLE ATTENDANCE AND HANDLE FROM EXPANDED FOUR DAYS AT SARATOGA
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Attendance and handle for the opening four days of the expanded Saratoga Race Course meeting matched expectations and decidedly outperformed the final weekend at Belmont Park in 2009, according to the New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA).
Daily average attendance was 18,113 with a total of 72,452. Daily average on-track handle equaled $2,520,715 with a total of $10,082,861. Average all-sources handle, which combines wagers on Saratoga races both on-track and from simulcast outlets nationwide, came to $12,834,190 with a total of $51,336,758.
“These four days at Saratoga have been unchartered territory with no relevant measure for comparison,” said NYRA President and CEO Charles Hayward. “We’re quite satisfied with the results which serve as a springboard to kick off the first full week of the meet starting Wednesday.”
Average betting interests per race were 8.5 (332 total) from 39 races. Heavy rain on Opening Day Friday and again Saturday evening resulted in nine races taken off the turf while ten remained on the turf.
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