by Frank Angst

With high gas prices affecting travel plans, a generally ailing economy affecting pocketbooks, and a lingering advance deposit wagering dispute limiting Internet access to prominent racetracks, second quarter handle plummeted.

Compared to second quarter figures of 2007, handle was down 4.17% to $3,837,687,728. For the first six months of 2008, wagering is down 3.6% to $7,265,345,359. The figures were released Friday by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association and Equibase Co.

With gas prices rising to more than $4 a gallon, many fans may be cutting back on trips to the racetrack. But at home, those fans discovered that signals to tracks like Calder Race Course, Churchill Downs, Lone Star Park, and others were not available for Internet wagering. Horsemen are asking for a larger share of ADW handle and have refused to allow tracks to send those signals to ADW outlets.

“Our industry is in the midst of a challenging period with discretionary entertainment dollars tighter than they have been for several years,” said NTRA President Alex Waldrop.

Calder’s signal also was blocked to most of the country’s simulcast outlets as horsemen did not reach a purse agreement on the soon-to-be-added slot machines at the track until this month. A small part of the drop, 0.46%, could be attributed to a decrease in race days from 1,740 to 1,732.

With racinos continuing to enjoy success, purses improved 3.6% to $317,235,241 for the quarter and are up 1.44% for the year. The quarterly improvement is especially impressive considering Churchill and Calder cut purses in May after the ADW and simulcasting issues with horsemen.

“We are pleased that purse levels are more than holding their own, and we look forward to a summer season that features some highly anticipated meetings such as Saratoga and Del Mar,” Waldrop said.

Frank Angst is senior staff write of Thoroughbred Times