All-sources handle down, ontrack business strong for first 10 days of Saratoga

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – After Mother Nature put a damper on the final two days of the second week, Saratoga’s all-sources handle is down 9.1 percent through the first 10 days of the meet compared with the same period last year. However, ontrack handle is basically neck-and-neck with last year, while attendance is up 4.2 percent.

The meeting began July 18 and runs through Sept. 1.

All-sources handle through the first 10 days of the meet is $134,495,987, compared with $148,004,109 last year. Ontrack handle is $32,831,717, up less than 1 percent over last year’s figure of $32,770,586.

Reported attendance is 201,421, up from 193,235 in 2013. Saratoga has hosted two giveaway days, compared with one last year at this time, and the New York Racing Association is not counting “spinners” – patrons who buy more than one admission to get multiple giveaway items.

Handle figured to take a hit this week as wet weather affected the Sunday and Monday cards, resulting in 10 races being taken off the turf and 70 horses being scratched.

Through the first 10 days of this year’s meet, there have been 101 races run, compared with 103 last year. There have been 41 races run on turf (including two steeplechase races) and 10 taken off, compared with 52 on and two off last year.