Charles Town sets marks for handle

Charles Town handled a track-record $111,664 per race in 2015, up 6.82 percent from 2014, according to track officials. Per-race wagering topped the previous record of $110,247 set in 2012.

Both ontrack and offtrack handle were up more than 6.5 percent in 2015. Charles Town ran 1,447 races in 2015.

Charles Town set its single-card record April 18, when Charles Town Classic Day wagering reached $4.84 million. More than $2.4 million was bet on the Charles Town Classic alone.

The other major race days at Charles Town also attracted good business. Betting on the Race for the Ribbon program in September just missed $2 million. Betting on the West Virginia Breeders’ Classics in October was $1.52 million, the second-highest total for that annual card.

Combined, handle on Charles Town Classic Day, the Race for the Ribbon card, and the West Virginia Breeders’ Classics was up 25 percent over 2014.

The racing season concluded on a high note Dec. 23, when the closing-day card had all-sources handle of $1,783,223.

Charles Town will hold 179 programs in 2016. The season begins Jan. 7.

The $1.25 million Charles Town Classic will be held April 23. The Race for the Ribbon card, which includes the Grade 3, $350,000 Charles Town Oaks, is scheduled for Sept. 17, and the West Virginia Breeders’ Classics will be Oct. 8.