On-track wagering posted strong gains compared to 2010 totals, daily average
attendance was up marginally, and total attendance and all-sources handle
dropped slightly as the 143rd race meet at Saratoga Race Course wrapped up
Monday, according to The New York Racing Association (NYRA).
Total attendance for the meet (39 days with racing cancelled on August 28 due
to Hurricane Irene) was 871,772, down 0.7 percent from 878,284 for the 40-day
meet in 2010. Daily average attendance of 22,353, however, was up 1.8 percent
from 21,957 in 2010.
On-track handle totaled $121,101,664, up 5.6 percent from $114,693,168 last
year. Daily average on-track handle was $3,105,171, up 8.3 percent from
$2,867,329 in 2010.
Wagering at the downstate Belmont Café and Aqueduct simulcast facilities was
$19,175,951, resulting in a combined on-track handle of $140,277,615, up 10.7
percent from $126,761,875 in 2010. Daily average combined on-track handle was
$3,596,862, up 13.5 percent from $3,169,047 last year.
All-sources handle, which includes wagers on Saratoga races both on-track and
from simulcast outlets nationwide, was $526,251,818, down 4.6 percent from
$551,660,726 in 2010. Daily average all-sources handle was $13,493,636, down
just 2.2 percent from $13,791,518 last year.
There were 397 races run this year over 39 days, compared to 395 over 40 days
in 2010. Average betting interests per race were 8.2 (3,269 total) compared to
8.4 (3,314 total) in 2010. Turf races totaled 158 with 41 taken off the turf,
compared to 187 on and 24 off in 2010.
For the second consecutive year, owner Mike Repole, trainer Todd Pletcher and
jockey John Velazquez finished atop the leader board at the prestigious Saratoga
meet.
The race for leading owner between Repole and Michael Dubb came down to the
wire, with Dubb tying Repole at 15 wins in dramatic fashion on Sunday afternoon
when Grace Hall (Empire Maker) captured the Spinaway S. (G1). The tie was
short-lived as Repole won the next race on the card, a turf sprint with Silver
Screamer (Cozzene), his final starter of the meet, for his 16th victory. Dubb
was winless in three starts Monday, preserving Repole’s narrow advantage. Helped
by his Travers S. (G1) victory with Stay Thirsty (Bernardini), Repole finished
the meet with $1,485,280 in purse money.
Pletcher won his eighth Saratoga meet title and set a new season record,
earning the H. Allen Jerkens training title with 38 winners. The previous mark
was 36, which Pletcher set last year. His 149 starters in 2011 earned more than
$3 million in purse money. Meet highlights included saddling Stay Thirsty to
victory in the Travers, Hilda’s Passion (Canadian Frontier) to win in the
Ballerina S. (G1), Sidney’s Candy (Candy Ride [Arg]) to score in the
Fourstardave H. (G2) and Georgie’s Angel (Bellamy Road) to take the
Schuylerville S. (G3) on opening day.
Velazquez’s 54 winners at Saratoga in 2011 propelled him to second all-time
leading rider at the Spa with 655 career victories. NYRA announced this summer
that the Saratoga jockey title would be named after Hall of Famer Angel Cordero
Jr., agent and mentor to Velazquez. Cordero retired with 649 Saratoga victories
and both he and Velazquez trail Hall of Fame rider Jerry Bailey, who visited the
Saratoga winner’s circle 693 times during his career.
Of Velazquez’s wins this summer, 31 came for Pletcher, and the rider carried
Repole’s blue and orange colors for nine of those.
Thoroughbred racing moves downstate to Belmont Park for the 37-day fall meet
beginning Saturday and running through October 30.