Average daily handle up 12.8 percent, total handle down at shorter Aqueduct fall meet

Average daily handle at the Aqueduct fall meet was $9,261,276, an increase of 12.8 percent over the daily average of $8,209,988 handled at the 2019 Aqueduct fall meet.

All-sources handle on 175 races conducted over 18 programs this fall was $166,702,976 while all-sources handle in 2019 was $205,249,710 on 233 races run over 25 programs. The 2019 Thanksgiving Day program was canceled due to weather. The final five races of the Dec. 1, 2019 card were also canceled.

Handle on the 2020 Cigar Mile Day card was $11,645,229, down 37 percent from last year’s handle of $18,518,056.

Due to COVID-19 protocols, fans were not allowed to attend the races at Aqueduct. A limited number of owners were allowed ontrack.

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NYRA reduced the racing schedule at this year’s fall meet, racing four days a week three times and three days a week twice while also scrapping the Thanksgiving Day card.

Average field size at the 2020 meet was 8.75 horses per race, up from 8.43 in 2019.

This fall, there were 68 races run on turf and 11 transferred to the main track due to weather. In 2019, there were 86 races run on turf with 22 rained off the grass.

Kendrick Carmouche was the leading rider and Christophe Clement was the leading trainer at the Aqueduct fall meet, the first NYRA titles for both horsemen.

Seth Klarman’s Klaravich Stables and Mike Repole tied for leading owner with five wins each.