Aided by large fields, Del Mar sets handle records opening weekend
DEL MAR, Calif. – What a difference a change of scenery has made on the Southern California circuit, where Del Mar posted sensational business figures during its abbreviated three-day opening weekend.
Led by an opening-day handle figure of $23.56 million on Friday, Del Mar averaged $22.35 million in handle for the first three days, which the track reported as both being records.
The handle figures were in large part due to the racing office’s ability to put together big, competitive fields of high-class racing. Field size averaged 10.6 runners per race, putting Del Mar on pace to again lead the nation in that statistic.
:: DRF's Del Mar headquarters – Stakes schedule, previews, recaps, past performances, and more
“We hoped for this kind of beginning, but it turned out even better than we thought,” Del Mar president Josh Rubinstein said in a press release. “We’ve gotten terrific support from our horsemen and horsewomen, from racing fans across the country and, of course, from the horses themselves, the amazing athletes who run here. Our team feels really good about our racing surfaces and our racing office put together three spectacular programs on consecutive days to get us off to a great start.”
Del Mar will race Thursdays through Sundays for the next five weeks, will add a Monday card to the race week ending on Labor Day Sept. 5, then have another three-day week to bookend the meet Sept. 9-11.