All-sources handle at Del Mar meet up 25 percent

Del Mar officials are projecting significant double-digit growth in all-sources handle for the current autumn meeting, which ends this Sunday.

Through last Sunday, the 11th day of the 15-day season, all-sources total handle showed an increase of 25 percent over the corresponding meeting in 2019, according to track chief financial officer Mike Ernst.

Several weeks of dry weather this month, more racing days this year, simulcasting of Breeders’ Cup races from Keeneland on Nov. 6-7, and an increase in average field size have contributed to the growth.

Last year, the autumn meeting lost two days of racing from a 15-day season because of excessive rain. Conditions have been dry this year and the forecast is favorable this weekend. In 2019, the Breeders’ Cup races were held at Santa Anita the week before the start of the Del Mar autumn meeting.

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Through Sunday, fields have averaged 7.62 runners per race compared to 7.11 runners during a similar time last year. The complete 2019 meeting averaged 7.43 runners per race.

The increase in all-sources handle this year has largely been generated through account-wagering sources. Because of the coronavirus pandemic, Del Mar is not open to the public, but has hosted a small number of owners each day. Business at the California simulcast network of other racetracks and satellite locations has been curtailed because of the pandemic.

“Fortunately, the wagering has held up,” Ernst said. “Overall, it’s been strong.”

Before the start of the meeting on Oct. 31, overnight purses were raised approximately 10 percent compared to the 2019 autumn meeting.

Ernst said an increase in all-sources handle was part of pre-meet projections.

“We fully expected we were going to beat that,” he said. “We didn’t expect to beat that by 25 percent.”