Average daily handle increases 3.7% at Del Mar fall meet

Despite wet weather that led to the cancellation of a day of racing in recent weeks, average daily handle increased at the Del Mar autumn meeting that ended Sunday, according to figures compiled by Daily Racing Form.

Average handle on races run at Del Mar was $18,413,084, a gain of 3.7 percent from the 2024 figure of $17,741,712. The Breeders’ Cup races were conducted over two days at the start of both meetings and were held in fine weather both years.

Del Mar canceled racing on Saturday, Nov. 15, and Friday, Nov. 21, because of rain and held a makeup day on Monday, Nov. 24.

Because of wet weather, two programs consisted only of dirt races, which typically do not draw fields as large as turf races. This year, the autumn meeting had 139 races, with 64 on turf. In 2024, there were 145 races, with 75 on turf.

Without the Breeders’ Cup programs, average daily handle on races run at Del Mar was down fractionally this fall, from $7,512,671 in 2024 to $7,504,512 this year.

The figures do not include simulcasting conducted in conjunction with race days or on days without live racing.

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On non-Breeders’ Cup days, the average daily purse distribution was $502,538 this year, a gain of 6.5 percent from $471,857 in 2024.

Despite weather issues, average field size rose from 8.1 runners per race at the 2024 autumn meeting to 8.2 runners this year.

Del Mar is one of three remaining tracks in California that conduct Thoroughbred racing, along with Los Alamitos and Santa Anita. This year, all three venues have had higher overnight purses following the cessation of racing in Northern California in December 2024.

A portion of handle from simulcasting or account-wagering sources from Northern California has been redirected to Southern California purses. Those monies would have previously gone to purses at Northern California meetings.

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