On-track wagering and average daily attendance both showed gains at Churchill
Downs’ Fall Meet, which ended Saturday. On-track wagering, which includes
money wagered on live races and wholecard simulcasting at the 132-year-old
Louisville, Kentucky, track, rose from $24.47 million during 2005’s 21-day meet
to $26.62 million for this year’s 20 days of racing. Average daily on-track
wagering of $1.33 million was up 13.7 percent from $1.17 million wagered 12 months ago.
Off-track wagering showed a dip of 7.7 percent, with $157.73 million bet at
simulcast-wagering outlets worldwide in 2005 compared to $145.62 million wagered this
year. Those numbers break down to an average of $7.51 million wagered off-track
daily 12 months ago while $7.28 million was the off-track daily average wagered
in 2006.
Total wagering also dropped, falling 5.5 percent from $182.2 million in 2005
to $172.24 million wagered this year. Daily average wagering came to $8.61 million for
2006 while 2005 saw an average of $8.68 million wagered daily.
Average daily attendance showed a slight 0.36 percent increase, from 7,820
last year to 7,848 for 2006. Average daily purses rose 1.7 percent, from
$478,632 to $486,974, while the average number of betting interests per race dropped from
10.17 horses to 9.57 horses.
Churchill Downs played host to the Breeders’ Cup for a record sixth time on
November 4, setting new records for on-track and total wagering, which were not
included in the track’s daily numbers. Total wagering for the day was $140.3
million, rising 13.2 percent over last year’s $123.9 million wagered on the Breeders’
Cup when it was held at Belmont Park. An on-track record $18.3 million was
wagered on the 10-race card, with the previous record coming in 2003 when $16.3
million was wagered at host Santa Anita Park.
“Overall, we are pleased with the results from our fall season and with the
outstanding results our Churchill Downs team delivered on Breeders’ Cup Day,”
Churchill Downs President Steve Sexton said. “We extend our gratitude to our
horsemen, employees, customers and the greater Louisville community for making
the event a tremendous success.”
Scott Blasi took leading trainer honors for the first time with 17 wins. Two of those
victories came courtesy of Tiz Wonderful (Tiznow), who helped begin and end
Churchill’s meet with wins in the Iroquois S. (G3) and the Kentucky Jockey Club
S. (G2). Todd Pletcher saddled three winners on closing day to lock up the
second spot with 10 victories to Steve Flint’s nine.
Calvin Borel and Shaun Bridgmohan shared the leading jockey title with 23
wins apiece. Borel, who began his conquest of a second Churchill Fall Meet riding
title when guiding home Street Sense (Street Cry [Ire]) in the Breeders’ Cup
Juvenile (G1), suffered a broken wrist on Thanksgiving Day. Although he was
sidelined for the final days of the meet, he had built up enough
of a lead in the standings to hold on for a tie. Bridgmohan,
first-call rider for Blasi, managed to bridge the gap on closing day to earn his
first Churchill leading rider honor.
The local Louisville family of Richard, Elaine and Bert Klein earned their
first Fall Meet leading owner title with nine victories. Gus Goldsmith was
second with six wins while Oxbow Racing LLC and Joseph Novogratz tied for third with four
scores each.