NEWS
Attendance, handle up at Meadowlands meet
Posted: Monday, November 24, 2008 4:56 PM
The Meadowlands concluded a 40-day live meeting on November 15 with increases in attendance and all-sources mutuel wagering handle, compared with last year’s 41-day meet.
The East Rutherford, New Jersey, track reported all sources mutuel handle of $62,940,501, a 4.7% increase compared with $60,127,478 last year. This year’s average daily all sources handle of $1,573,513 increased 7.3% compared with the previous meet average of $1,466,524.
Daily attendance averaged 3,556, a 13.4% increase compared with the 2007 meet average of 3,137.
Jose Lezcano led the Meadowlands rider standings with 51 wins. Jason Servis led all trainers with 20 victories. Servis previously led the Meadowlands trainer standings in 2005 and ’06.
Servis said the meet, which began September 30 and featured live racing six days a week, exceeded expectations.
“I think the racing office did a great job,” Servis said. “The races filled unbelievably well for six days a week.”
One card during the 2008 meet was canceled after the second race because of inclement weather.
Trainer Ed Broome and Repole Stable led all owners with 15 wins each. Broome and Ben Perkins Jr. tied for second in the trainer standings.
“Everything worked out great at the Meadowlands this year,” Broome said. “The races were real competitive. Everyone thought with the six days that we’d fall flat on our faces, but that didn’t happen at all. The races closed early every day and we had full fields.”
