Belmont’s overall handle up at fall meeting

The New York Racing Association enjoyed solid increases in all-sources handle with modest gains in ontrack wagering for the Belmont Park fall meet that concluded Oct. 28.

All-sources handle on Belmont’s races only was $299,106,695 for a daily average of $8,308,519, up 13.7 percent from the $263,037,788 wagered in 2011. On-track handle on Belmont’s races was $42.499,742, averaging $1,180,548 daily, up 2 percent from $41,656,097 wagered last fall.

Total all-sources handle, which includes money wagered on incoming simulcast races, was $335,184, 485, up 11.5 percent from $300,624,811 wagered in 2011. Total on-track handle, including money wagered on out-of-state races was $78,577,531, down 0.8 percent from $79,243,120 bet in 2011.

Attendance at Belmont’s fall meet dropped 14.3 percent from 133,269 in 2011 to 114,284 – 3,175 daily – this year.

This year’s Belmont fall meet consisted of 344 races over 36 days and 2,911 total betting interests compared with 334 races over 36 days and 2,785 betting interests. Both the 2011 and 2012 fall meets lost one full card due to inclement weather.

In 2012, there were 137 races run on the turf and 48 taken off, compared with 121 run on the turf in 2011 and 66 taken off.