All-sources handle marginally down, attendance up on opening day at Saratoga

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - All-sources handle on Friday’s opening-day card at Saratoga was $20,247,319, less than 1 percent lower than the $20,332,053 wagered on opening day 2017.

Ontrack handle was $5,403,833, up 7.7 percent from the 2017 opening-day figure of $5,016,519. There were 10 races and 92 betting interests on both opening-day cards.

Paid attendance on Friday was 33,714, a 3 percent increase over the 32,730 paid attendance figure from 2017.

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“It’s great to be back at Saratoga for another season of the best Thoroughbred racing in the world supported by great fans,” NYRA president and CEO Chris Kay said in a release. “Opening day is always special, and this year was made even more so by the debut of our new hospitality area called The Stretch. The weather could not have been more perfect as we look forward to a tremendous summer meet featuring the greatest owners, trainers and jockeys and horses in the sport.”

Once again, glorious weather and an enthusiastic crowd ushered in the Saratoga meet. Bad Student kicked off the proceedings with a stalking victory under Ricardo Santana Jr. Santana would go on to win the sixth race on the good-looking maiden Lyrical Lady for trainer Steve Asmussen. It was the second straight year Santana won two races on opening day.

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Jose Ortiz, the leading rider at the last two Saratoga meets, won two races on the card including the Grade 3 Schuylerville Stakes for 2-year-old fillies board Catherinethegreat. Jose Lezcano also won two races on the opening day card.

Daddy Is a Legend, under Manny Franco, won the Grade 3, $150,000 Lake George, giving trainer George Weaver his second graded stakes victory at the Spa.

Chad Brown, who won 39 races but had to settle for second in the trainer standings last year, won two races on the card.