Gulfstream Championship Meet Sets Record Handle

The total handle for Gulfstream Park's 87-day Championship Meet totaled a record $867 million, the track announced Wednesday. The total handle was up 7.34% from the previous year's record handle of $807 million.

“The Championship Meet was extraordinary for its mix of world-class racing, events and entertainment,” said P.J. Campo, General Manager of Gulfstream Park and Vice President of Racing for The Stronach Group. “From a record-setting opening day with the Claiming Crown to the Eclipse Awards to the first running of the [GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational] to the [GI] Florida Derby, Gulfstream was the center of the racing world.”

After setting a record handle on opening day on the 18th running of the Claiming Crown, the inaugural running of the Pegasus World Cup drew one of racing's most anticipated match-ups between Horse of the Year California Chrome (Lucky Pulpit and champion Arrogate (Unbridled's Song), with the latter emerging as a decisive winner.