by Paul Post

The recently-concluded Aqueduct meeting saw increases in attendance, handle, and purses the New York Racing Association said Thursday.

Average daily attendance during the winter and spring season, which ran from January 1 to April 27, rose 5.7% from 2,610 to 2,760 and total attendance went from 195,748 to 220, 793—a 12.8% increase—thanks in part to five more racing dates than in 2007.

Similarly, daily average on-track handle jumped 4.3%, from $602,659 to $628,295, with total handle growing 11.2%, from $45,199,421 to $50,263,568.

All sources handle also climbed, with the daily average up 3.7%, from $7,847,427 to $8,139,712. All sources handle totaled $651,176,929, a 10.6% increase over last year’s $588,557,037.

In addition, Aqueduct’s purses were up 6.2% from the year before.

The figures represent welcome news for NYRA, which on February 13 was awarded a new 25-year franchise by the state legislature.

“The Aqueduct meet was very strong for NYRA particularly in comparison with the rest of the industry,” said Charles Hayward, NYRA president and chief executive officer. “We had strong handle and purse increases while the industry in the first quarter of 2008 had a decline in total handle by 3.1% and a decline in purses of 1.5%. We very much appreciate the participation of our horsemen and our customers.”

By this time next year, construction on Aqueduct’s new 4,500-machine video lottery terminal facility should be nearing completion. The state is reviewing bids from three prospective gaming operators and is expected to name an operator this month.

The facility is projected to open during the second half of 2009. It is hoped that the racino will generate at least $450-million per year and spur a considerable increase in live racing attendance, both of which could see Aqueduct’s purses, handle, and attendance figures grow even more dramatically during the next few years.

NYRA is still operating with a temporary extension that expires July 13, while waiting for its new contract to become official. The permanent franchise becomes official once NYRA’s bankruptcy proceedings are completed, which is expected within the next several weeks.

When the Aqueduct meet closed, New York racing shifted to Belmont Park, which opened on April 30 with more than $2.5-million in improvements to customer areas of the track as well as a new state-of-the-art TV/simulcasting system in place. The Belmont spring/summer meet features 11 Grade 1 events topped by the 140th running of the Belmont Stakes (G1) on June 7.

The Belmont season is followed by the six-week Saratoga Race Course meet, which will be run July 23 through September 1.

Paul Post is a New York-based Thoroughbred Times correspondent