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  • Jazil sire of Love Me Good 1st Mdn (May 23, 2nd PID). Owner, Sheltowee Farm and Blazing Meadow Farm; Breeder, Sheltowee Farm...
  • Luftikus sire of Joyful Kiss 1st Alw (May 23, 7th CT). Owner, Winfred L. Hess, Jr.; Breeder, Ann M. Casey...
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  • Proud Citizen sire of Citizen Kat 1st Alw (May 23, 7th PEN). Owner, Midwest Thoroughbreds, Inc.; Breeder, Mark Reid & Charles Zacney...
  • Yankee Gentleman sire of Little Dale 1st Alw (May 23, 7th BEL). Owner, Vaccarezza, Priscilla, Amante, Anthony and Garrity, Christine; Breeder, Philip Birsh...
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  • Bustin Stones sire of Bustinattheseams 1st Mdn (May 23, 2nd BEL). Owner, Bourque Goldstein Thoroughbreds LLC; Breeder, Eaton & Thorne, Inc....
  • Include sire of Window Boy 1st Grover (Buddy) Delp Memorial S. (May 23, 8th DEL). Owner, Luis Arenas; Breeder, Shelby Lane Farm Inc. & IncludeSyndicate...
  • Mancini sire of Ride Around Sally 1st Alw (May 23, 6th IND). Owner, Joe Uliano; Breeder, Spade Stable...
  • Petionville sire of Wups 1st Thoroughbred Maiden Derby (May 23, 9th BOI). Owner, Paul Treasure; Breeder, Michael Iavarone...
  • Indian Charlie sire of Nechez Dawn 1st Alw (May 23, 7th AP). Owner, Tresner, Coby and Matsas, Alex; Breeder, B. P. Walden Jr., Hargus Sexton & SandraSexton...
  • City Weekend sire of City Sweets 1st Mdn (May 23, 3rd IND). Owner, Mast Thoroughbreds LLC; Breeder, Robert Gorham & Mast Thoroughbreds LLC...
  • Hard Spun sire of Ribbon Taffy 1st Mdn (May 23, 5th IND). Owner, Pucek, John Paul and Marcinek, Paige; Breeder, Matthew R. Herbener...
  • Posse sire of Parody 1st Alw (May 23, 4th PEN). Owner, Midwest Thoroughbreds, Inc.; Breeder, Don Mattox & Pam Mattox...
  • Hard Spun sire of Gleaning 1st Mdn (May 23, 4th PID). Owner, Robert T. Manfuso; Breeder, Nursery Place & Robert T. Manfuso...

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Handle on pace for record decline in '08

Posted: Thursday, October 09, 2008 4:20 PM

by Frank Angst

A combination of economic problems and the sport’s own difficulties have Thoroughbred racing on pace for a record decline in pari-mutuel handle in 2008.

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association and Equibase Co. on Thursday released figures that show a 5.75% drop in wagering levels for the first nine months of 2008 compared with ’07. If that percentage remains constant through the end of the year, it would mark the largest percentage drop since the advent of simulcast wagering and the dollar figure would be a record $84.7-million.

Since 1980, the largest previous percentage drops in a given year were 2005, when wagering was down 3.6%, and 1986, when it declined 5.1%. In Jockey Club handle figures back to 1980, there have only been seven years in which wagering declined (assuming 2008 shows a decline). Four of those seven down years, however, have come since 2004.

The third quarter, which featured top meets at Del Mar and Saratoga Race Course, saw handle fall 9.85% compared with last year’s third quarter.

This summer’s spike in gas prices and a sour economy in general have been well documented, but racing also has its own problems.

Bettors who prefer to wager from home are unable to bet on all tracks from any single site. A horsemen’s dispute with several racetracks, including Churchill Downs and Calder Race Course, has kept those signals from being available for advance deposit wagering. Also, horse racing has been waging a public relations fight on horse welfare and safety issues.
 
“Our industry’s difficult year continued during the summer as a harsh economy and other factors continued to negatively impact business,” NTRA President Alex Waldrop said.
 
Total purses were off 2.37% during the third quarter, while race days were down 1.29%. For the nine months ending on September 30, purses were down 0.04% and race days off by 0.87%.

Frank Angst is senior writer of Thoroughbred Times

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