Aqueduct: Handle for Wood Memorial card dips sharply

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Attendance was up slightly, but handle was down sharply on Saturday’s Wood Memorial card at Aqueduct, possibly owing to the lack of turf racing.

Attendance for the 12-race card was 12,719, up 600 people, or 4.9 percent, from last year’s crowd of 12,119.

Ontrack handle was $2,718,962, down 16.6 percent from last year’s $3,258,632. All-sources handle Saturday was $18,097,037, down 16.2 percent from last year’s total of $21,601,671.

In 2013, the 12-race card had 109 betting interests, with five fields of 11 horses or more, including two turf races. On Saturday’s 12-race program, there were two races with 11 betting interests, and turf racing was unavailable as winter weather delayed preparation of the course.

Saturday’s all-stakes pick four, with a guaranteed pool of $500,000, handled $928,877, compared with $822,676 last year.