Photo: NYRA
Nationwide wagering on Saratoga races
remains up compared to 2011 through the first 22 days of the 40-day meet, despite
wet weekend weather which caused 13 of 17 scheduled turf races to be moved to
the main track from Friday through Sunday.
All-sources handle, which includes wagers on Saratoga races both on-track and from
simulcast facilities across the country, was $310,065,500, up 6.5 percent from
$291,181,532 in 2011, according to The New York Racing Association, Inc.
(NYRA).
On-track handle totaled $66,113,956 compared to $66,610,255 last year,
a 0.8 percent difference.
Wagering downstate at the Belmont Café and the Aqueduct simulcast
center was $11,803,355 for a combined on-track handle of $77,917,311 compared
to $77,307,032 in 2011, an increase of 0.8 percent.
Attendance through the first four weeks (22 days) of the meet was 465,293
compared to 474,254 last year, a difference of 1.9 percent.
Average betting interests per race were 8.3 (1,891 total) compared to 8.4
(1,835 total) in 2011. There have been 93 turf races and 26 races taken off
the turf and moved to the main track, compared to 92 on and 17 off in 2011.