On-track wagering and attendance rise
at Churchill
Increases in on-track wagering and attendance were recorded at
the recently concluded Fall Festival of Racing at Churchill Downs.
The 21-day meet ended Saturday with six fewer days of racing
than in 2003. Daily track attendance averaged 7,467 and daily on-track
wagering averaged $1,098,931. Those numbers represent increases
of 10.5 percent and 8.2 percent, respectively, over last year’s
daily averages of 6,755 for attendance and $1,015,696 for on-track
wagering.
The on-track wagering and attendance are the combined results
from Churchill Downs and its Trackside Louisville wagering
facility, which remained open throughout the fall meet because of
the continuing renovations at the track. This was the final meet
in which the simulcast facility would remain open throughout.
The daily average total wagering of $7,791,943 declined
slightly, falling 2.5 percent from the record 2003 average of $7,995,677.
John McKee became the meet’s leading rider when he posted 27
wins, four more than Pat Day and Brian Hernandez Jr., to earn his
first riding crown at the track. Steven Asmussen became the first
trainer to saddle 500 winners in a single year and had 14 of
those victories during the meet. In the process, the conditioner
completed a sweep of Churchill’s spring and fall training titles.
Robert Holthus and Kenny McPeek each sent out 11 winners to tie
for second.
Leading owner honors went to Overbrook Farm with five scores,
one more than Ken and Sarah Ramsey; Richard, Elaine and Bert
Klein; and B. Wayne Hughes. The Ramseys had earned the leading
owner title for the last nine consecutive meets.