NEWS
Saratoga meeting closes with attendance,
handle decreases
Posted: Monday, September 06, 2010 8:12 AM
by Phil Janack
Saratoga Race Course wrapped up its summer meeting on Monday with wagering totals that exceeded New York Racing Association projections heading into the newly expanded 40-day meet.
Daily average all-sources handle, which combines wagers on Saratoga races both on track and from nationwide simulcast outlets, was down 3.4% to $13,791,518 compared with 2009, when the meet was 36 days. All sources handle for six full weeks compared to last year’s six-week numbers showed a 2.6% dip, to $500,322,977.
“We budgeted all-sources handle—our predominant financial measure—to be down about 5% due to the continued economic downturn and the earlier July start,” NYRA President Charles Hayward said. “We are gratified that these final figures beat our expectations.”
Daily average attendance for the meet was down 7.4% to 21,957, while daily average on-track handle dropped 7.8% to $2,867,329 from 2009. Total attendance reached 878,284 for 40 days, with total on-track handle at $114,693,168.
Fueled by 18 juvenile winners, Todd Pletcher captured his sixth training title and first since 2006 with 36 victories, breaking his own record set in 2003 and matched in 2004, when the meeting was 36 days. Pletcher won eight graded stakes races, including the Spinaway Stakes (G1), Woodward Stakes (G1), King’s Bishop Stakes (G1), Ruffian Stakes (G1) and Coaching Club American Oaks (G1).
Defending champion Linda Rice finished second in the standings with 20 wins.
“Saratoga is the one place that you really kind of want to win the training title and maybe emphasize this meet more than any other meet,” Pletcher said. “It’s always worked well, timing-wise, for us because it’s kind of when your maiden two-year-olds are starting to get ready. It is something we take pride in and enjoy.”
Working as Pletcher’s stable rider, John Velazquez claimed his fourth jockey title with 57 wins, the most since Velazquez’s record 65 in 2004 and third-highest winning total. Of his nine graded stakes victories , four were in Grade 1 races: the Woodward, King’s Bishop, Ruffian, and CCA Oaks.
After going winless from 36 starts during last year’s meeting, Mike Repole’s Repole Stable finished as the top owner with 13 victories from 46 starters and $449,680 in purse earnings, winning the High Rock Springs and Vic Ziegel Memorial overnight stakes.
“Going 0-for-36 last year is never easy,” Repole said, “but you learn a lesson from everything you do in life. Success doesn’t come easy. I told everybody before the meet, I don’t want one or two wins, I want to win the meet.”
Phil Janack is a New York-based Thoroughbred Times correspondent
