Belmont at the Big A average daily handle up 18 percent

The New York Racing Association realized significant gains in all-sources and average daily handle at the Belmont at the Big A fall meet that concluded Sunday.

All-sources handle at the 30-day meet was $262,241,829, a 36.4 percent increase over the $192,200,723 handled over 26 days of racing at the corresponding meet in 2023, according to figures provided by NYRA. Average daily handle was $8,741,394, an 18.2 percent increase over the $7,392,335 handled in 2023.

Ontrack handle was $22,887,403, a 33.1 percent increase over the $17,189,736 figure in 2023.

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Due to the redevelopment of Belmont Park, this was the third Belmont fall meet held at Aqueduct. The 2024 Belmont spring/summer meet was also held at Aqueduct. Belmont Park is scheduled to reopen in the fall of 2026, meaning all downstate racing in 2025 will continue to be held at Aqueduct.

NYRA scheduled 31 race programs at the Belmont at the Big A fall meet but had to cancel the Oct. 11 program due to unsafe air quality in parts of the building caused by a chemical treatment of the roof performed by Resorts World Casino.

There were 285 races run this fall compared to 247 last year. NYRA ran 126 turf races at this meet while only having to move seven scheduled turf races to the dirt due to inclement weather. In 2023, NYRA ran 74 turf races while moving 34 to the dirt due to weather.

With field size larger in turf races than dirt, average field size at the meet was 8.33 horses per race, compared to 7.65 a year ago. Overall, there were 2,375 betting interests, an increase of 25.7 percent over the 1,890 from a year ago.

Racing resumes at Aqueduct on Thursday with the beginning of the Aqueduct fall meet, which runs through Dec. 29.

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