Total Wagering on NYRA Races in 2015 Rises

Cait R Thursday, March 10, 2016

Ozone Park, NY - March 10, 2016 - Total wagering on racing at the New York Racing Association's three tracks rose 3.0 percent in 2015 to $2,243,039,376, with an increase in export handle more than offsetting a slight decline in on-track handle due to eight fewer race dates.

In 2014, total wagering on NYRA races was $2,177,979,073.

Export handle, including handle from international locations, on racing from Aqueduct Racetrack, Belmont Park and Saratoga Race Course rose 4.0 percent year-over-year to $1,876,463,617 from $1,803,591,648. Hosting 237 race dates in 2015 compared to 245 the previous year, NYRA's on-track handle dipped 2.1 percent, to $366,575,759 from $374,387,425.

Daily average handle on NYRA races in 2015 rose 6.5 percent, to $9,464,301 from $8,889,711 year-over-year.

With five more racing dates in 2015 than the previous year, total wagering on racing at Belmont Park during the spring/summer meet rose 8.1 percent to $647,740,050. Total wagering on racing at Saratoga rose 14.1 percent to $656,121,664, and total wagering on racing during the Belmont Park fall meet rose 7.2 percent to $321,050,623.

Racing one less day than in 2014, Aqueduct Racetrack's wagering during the fall meet totaled $263,809,828, up 4.2 percent year-over-year.

On-track wagering during the Belmont spring meet rose 4.3 percent to $88,293,037 while on-track handle at Saratoga rose 4.8 percent to a record $157,647,599.

Key factors in the increases at Belmont and Saratoga were the success of the "must-see" days during the year. On Belmont Stakes Day, June 6, when American Pharoah became the first Triple Crown winner in 37 years, a sold-out crowd of 90,000 wagered $16,950,758, the second-highest total behind 2014's record $19.2 million. Total wagering on racing from Belmont that day was $135,790,321.

A month later, $2,779,529 was wagered on track for the second annual "Stars & Stripes Day" on July 4 at Belmont Park, featuring an internally themed day of turf racing. Total all-sources handle was $20,652,065.

At Saratoga, $7,337,989 was wagered on track for the enhanced Whitney Day card, August 8, with eventual Eclipse Award winner Honor Code registering a thrilling come-from-behind victory over Liam's Map in the day's signature race. Total handle for the day was $29,347,132.

On August 29, a sold-out crowd of 50,000 gathered to watch Triple Crown champion American Pharoah compete in the 146th running of the Travers, resulting in a Travers record $11,472,451 being wagered on track. With six other graded stakes on the card, a Travers Day all-source record handle of $49,668,754 was set.

The Belmont fall meet saw two "Super" Saturdays, with $15,191,282 in all-sources handle on September 26, Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Day, and $15,581,148 in all-sources handle on October 3, Jockey Club Gold Cup Day.

For 2015, gross total handle at Aqueduct, Belmont and Saratoga, including imports, was $2,542,743,482, a gain of 2.6 percent from $2,477,916,279 in 2014.

While staging just 5.7 percent of all races run in the United States in 2015, wagering on NYRA's 2,217 races again accounted for more than 20 percent of all monies bet on thoroughbred racing in the United States.

According to Equibase, handle on all 38,942 races in the United States in 2015 was $10.677 billion, up 1.2 percent from the previous year.

Total attendance for the year at all three NYRA tracks was 1,756,591, up 1.4 percent from 1,732,253 in 2014. Average daily attendance was 7,412, up 4.8 percent year-over-year.

caitr@longisland.com

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