Hollywood Park concluded its first-ever meet with a synthetic racing surface
on Monday, and the Inglewood, California, track reported larger fields, larger purses and increased
handle. Hollywood Park installed Cushion Track on its 1 1/8-mile main track following the Spring/Summer Meet.
The average field size of 8.5 horses per race for the 36-day meet was up 13
percent from 2005 and reversed a seven-year decline. Patrons responded by
wagering approximately $6.5 million daily on Hollywood Park races, up
significantly from the average of $5.5 million in 2005.
On-track handle averaged $1.4 million, up 8 percent from $1.3 million during
a 27-day meeting in 2005. All-sources handle averaged approximately $9.8
million, up 14 percent compared to $8.6 million last year.
Daily purses averaged $387,754, an increase of 16 percent from $333,386 in
2005 and an increase of 11 percent from $349,717 in 2004.
“Horsemen have endorsed Cushion Track, and the result is a much better
product,” General Manager Eual G. Wyatt Jr. said. “We’ve had
deep, competitive fields and players have responded at the windows.”
Advance deposit wagering showed the largest increase, rising 27 percent to an
average of $577,329 compared to an average of $453,547 in 2005. In turn,
on-track attendance decreased 8 percent to an average of 4,775 compared to 5,199
a year ago. On-track per capita wagering rose 17 percent to $296 from $251.
Hollywood Park became the first race track in California to use a synthetic racing
surface. The project, which cost more than $8 million, began on July 18. It was
completed when training resumed on September 13 prior to the November 1 opening
of the Autumn Meet.
Cushion Track resulted in fewer injuries, according to Hollywood Park. It
also resulted in racing secretary Martin Panza hanging the “no vacancy” sign in
the stable area for the first time in more than a decade. In addition to a
strong local contingent, East Coast-based trainers Christophe Clement, Todd Pletcher,
Lisa Lewis and Richard Dutrow had horses stabled at Hollywood Park. Others
shifted their base from Santa Anita to Hollywood, reversing a recent trend.
Jockey Garrett Gomez, a candidate for an Eclipse Award, earned the leading rider title by booting home 35
winners.
Doug O’Neill captured the leading trainer title by saddling 24 winners, an
Autumn Meet record. It was the fifth Hollywood Park title for
O’Neill.