NEWS
New year sees continued slide in handle
Posted: Thursday, February 04, 2010 4:09 PM
by Frank Angst
Facing a combination of a poor overall economy and industry-specific problems, Thoroughbred handle suffered a double-figure percentage drop in January compared with the same month last year.
The first month of this year saw $917,083,595 wagered on U.S. races, down 12.03% compared with the $1,042,532,063 bet during January 2009. Purses were down 10.04% to $63,574,094.
Besides the overall economy, handle was impacted by an impasse over simulcast fees off-track outlets in the mid-Atlantic region would pay to tracks under the TrackNet Media umbrella, which include Gulfstream Park, Santa Anita Park, Fair Grounds, Oaklawn Park, and others.
Negotiations on a new agreement between TrackNet and the MidAtlantic Cooperative started late last year and were not resolved until January 22, meaning TrackNet signals were unavailable in the mid-Atlantic region until the resolution.
Also during January, Santa Anita lost three racing days when its Pro-Ride surface failed to drain properly during major storms.
As tracks reduced scheduled dates, racing days for the month were down 7.98% to 346.
Frank Angst is a senior writer for Thoroughbred Times
