record handle

For the fifth straight year, Horseshoe Indianapolis set a new record for all-time highest handle wagered on live racing. The 123-day meet, ending on Nov. 13, concluded with total handle surpassed $287 million in 2025. "We couldn't be prouder of our team and our season for the results we saw this year," said Vice President and General Manager of Racing Eric Halstrom. "We were going up against some pretty big numbers from 2024. Despite running 49 less races this year, we were still able to top last year's figures. Our...

Saturday's 13-race Whitney Day program at Saratoga Race Course generated record wagering handle of $49,651,341, officials at the New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) reported at the close of business. The figure represents a 22.7% increase over the prior Whitney Day record of $40,461,888, which was established in 2022. Five graded races worth $3.2 million in purses, including the GI Whitney Stakes--a 'Win and You're In' qualifier for the GI Breeders' Cup Classic Nov. 1 at Del Mar--and three other Grade I events, highlighted the stellar card at the Spa...

Edited Press Release Saturday's blockbuster Belmont Stakes Day card, highlighted by Dornoch's victory in the 156th running of the GI $2-million Belmont S. presented by NYRA Bets, generated all-sources handle of $125,748,941, a New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) record for a non-Triple Crown year. The 2024 all-sources handle figure is an increase of more than 6.3% over the previous non-Triple Crown record of $118,283,455, which was set in 2023. On-track handle for the 14-race Belmont Stakes Day card, which included six Grade 1 races among nine total stakes, was...

The 19th season of horse racing at Zia Park was a record setting one on several fronts with new standards set for average daily handle, purses and safety during the 30-day mixed Quarter Horse/Thoroughbred meet, the PENN Entertainment-owned track said in a release Thursday afternoon. An average daily handle of $830,371 was up 72% from the 48-date meet in 2022 to set a new track record and was the highest daily handle recorded by a racetrack in the state of New Mexico since 2010. Live handle was up an equally...

The 41st renewal of the Breeders' Cup World Championships will be held at the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club Nov. 1 and 2, 2024, officials at the organization announced Thursday. It will be the third time the seaside oval has played host to the event. "We are delighted to announce that the World Championships will be returning to Del Mar next year for what is sure to be an unforgettable two-year-run on the West Coast," said Drew Fleming, Breeders' Cup President and CEO. This year's Breeders' Cup races take place at...

Keeneland concluded a record-breaking fall meet Saturday with all-sources handle of $208.9 million, a season record for the Lexington track. The 17-day fall meet ran from Oct. 7-29 with Kentucky racing scheduled to switch over to Churchill Downs Sunday prior to returning to Keeneland for the Breeders' Cup Nov. 4-5. The all-sources wagering of $208,907,655 was a 15.41% increase over the 2021 fall meet record of $181,009,626. It was the fourth consecutive season of record handle at the track. The numbers do not include whole-card simulcasting at Keeneland. "This fall...

Edited Press Release Officials at Churchill Downs Incorporated reported a new handle record for Friday's GI Longines Kentucky Oaks program at Churchill Downs. Despite a threat of widespread scattered thunderstorms, 100,188 spectators gathered under the historic Twin Spires to watch Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas win his fifth Kentucky Oaks. Wagering from all-sources on the full Kentucky Oaks day race card totaled $74.6 million, up 37% compared to 2021 and up 24% compared to the previous record in 2019. All-sources wagering on the Kentucky Oaks itself was $24.3...

The FanDuel Meet at Kentucky Downs wrapped up Sunday with a nearly 24% rise in handle from the same period last year. A total of $74,088,532 was wagered via all-sources handle, up $14,260,088 (or 23.8%) from last year's total of $59,828,444, which was also a record at the time. Sunday's card of 10 races saw a handle of $13,899,277, third-highest at the all-turf track. Saturday's wagering of $20,849,967 on 11 races set a new mark for one day of racing at Kentucky Downs. The big story of the six-day meet...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY--After accepting his fourth H. Allen Jerkens training title late Monday afternoon, Chad Brown spoke to a common theme on the final day of a joyous season following the COVID-19 summer without fans at Saratoga Race Course "Happy to have everybody back at the meet. That was the big thing," Brown said. "The most rewarding part of the meet was having everybody back. Last year, win or lose, it just wasn't any fun. I can speak for me and a lot of people around me that it just...

Colonial Downs kicked off its 2021 racing season Monday with a record opening day handle of $2.66 million, spurred by a four-pack of $100,000 Virginia-restricted turf stakes races, and the return of fans to the New Kent track now in its third year under ownership of the Colonial Downs Group. "We would like to thank the horsemen, our fans on and off site and our team for starting the meet on the right foot," said John Marshall, Executive VP Operations for the Colonial Downs Group. "What a delight it was...

With a stellar eight Grade I races on the card including the 153rd Belmont S. presented by NYRA Bets, Belmont Park generated all-sources handle of $112,725,278 Saturday. The amount marks a New York Racing Association (NYRA) record for a non-Triple Crown year, in spite of limited attendance and restrictions on track due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2021 all-sources handle is a greater than 10% increase over the previous non-Triple Crown record of $102,163,280, set in 2019. On-track handle for the 13-race card was $7,532,571. All-sources handle on the Belmont...

Black-Eyed Susan Day at Pimlico Race Course produced a record total handle of $27.675 million. Friday's record handle eclipsed the previous record set in 2019 of $21.349 million. Attendance Friday on the day was capped at 10,000. "We're pleased Black-Eyed Susan Day produced some fantastic racing by some extraordinary horses, and it was nice to see people at the track having a fantastic time," said Craig Fravel, CEO 1/ST RACING. "We want to thank the horsemen for supporting this day of racing and our racing office that did such a...