Numbers Up at Close of Del Mar Meet

Del Mar closed its 76th summer meet Monday on a positive note with total handle up, fields sizes holding steady despite an increase in racing and a good response to their new dirt track. The track extended its summer session to eight weeks for the first time, which added four more racing days compared to 2014.

The 40-day meet, which ran from July 16 to Sept. 7, saw a 9.8% increase in handle from $442,626,307 in 2014 to $486,060,724 this season. While average daily on-track handle was down 14.6%, the average daily off-track wagering increased 5.5%.

On-track attendance was down 12%, with an average of 14,558 the term compared to 16,535 last year. The total attendance for the 2015 meet was 582,324.

“Both tracks performed very well,” said Del Mar Thoroughbred Club president and CEO Joe Harper. “We had a strong racing product and generated momentum going into the fall season. There is a new normal, not just at Del Mar, but with California racing in general. More racing here means more opportunities, but also less immediacy for our fans. We will continue to adapt as Del Mar plays a larger role in the industry.”

Field size held steady for the third straight year at 8.8 horses per race despite the addition of 28 races to the 2015 meet. This was also the first meet run on the new dirt track, which was changed over from synthetic during the winter.

“It’s a good track, a safe track,” Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith said. “I’ve heard they’re going to add a bit more sand to it after the meet is done and I think that will be a good thing. They’ll make a good thing even better.”

Del Mar will host its second fall meet, which will run for five weeks instead of four this year, from Oct. 29 to Nov. 29.