Average handle per race slips slightlly from 2019; Meadowlands turf meet begins Friday

Monmouth Park had total handle of $174.44 million during its 55-day race meet this year, its first full meet since 2019 due to the disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic last year, according to figures compiled by Daily Racing Form.

Per-race handle for a total of 555 races during the meet was $314,306, according to the figures, compared to per-race average handle of $323,536 in 2019, when the track ran 611 races over 56 days. Average field size this year was 7.41 horses per race, compared to 7.11 horses per race in 2019.

Last year, Monmouth ran 36 race days during its traditional summer and late fall spot on the calendar, but it tacked on another nine days later in the year, when the track has in recent years run a handful of dates at the Meadowlands. This year, Monmouth will run seven all-turf dates at the Meadowlands, starting on Oct. 1, with each card starting at 7 p.m.

Monmouth restricted attendance last year during its summer meet due to coronavirus protocols, and this year, ontrack handle nearly doubled, from $8.92 million last year to $15.22 million this year, according to the track.

:: Join DRF Bets and play the races with a $250 First Deposit Bonus. Click to learn more.

Total handle last year for the 36 race dates during the traditional meet was $151.2 million, for a per-race average of $383,759, according to the DRF figures. Average field size was 7.62 horses.