Pick six carryovers swell business

DEL MAR, Calif. - The big pick six carryovers over the weekend continued a surge in handle for Del Mar through the first two weeks of the meet.

On Sunday, with $599,483 already in the kitty courtesy of a three-day carryover, bettors poured another $2,552,818 into the pick six pool. That contributed to an overall handle for the day of $11,932,117. On the comparable Sunday at Hollywood Park last year (Nov. 17) the handle was $8.5 million. The handle at Santa Anita on Oct. 26, the Sunday prior to the Breeders’ Cup, was $10.2 million.

Del Mar also had superior attendance by comparison, even with the National Football League’s San Diego Chargers home on Sunday against their arch-rivals, the Oakland Raiders. There were 5,587 people here, compared to 5,555 on Oct. 26 at Santa Anita and 4,084 at Hollywood Park last Nov. 17.

On Saturday, when there was a mere two-day carryover, the day’s handle was $12,719,144, compared to the $9.29 million on the comparable date at Hollywood Park one year earlier (Nov. 16), as well as the $9.88 million at Santa Anita on Oct. 25, the Saturday prior to the Breeders’ Cup.

It was impossible to compare attendance figures on Saturday. Del Mar had a post-race concert, and included the attendance for that, for an announced crowd of 19,704. Hollywood had 3,845 on the comparable date in 2013, and Santa Anita had 8,957 on Oct. 25.

Sunday marked the seventh day of this 15-day season. There will be racing Thursday-Sunday both this week and next week, with closing day on Nov. 30.