Belmont spring-summer handle rises 20.6 percent compared to 2019
All-sources handle at the Belmont Park spring/summer meet was $632,205,251, a 20.6 percent increase over the 2019 spring/summer meet figure of $524,051,324, according to figures released Wednesday by the New York Racing Association.
This summer’s handle was 63.5 percent higher than the 2020 meet figure of $386,654,955. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there were only 25 days of racing in 2020.
A total of 454 races were run at this year’s meet over 48 days of racing. Average daily handle was $13,171,005, a 20.6 percent increase over average daily handle of $10,917,735 in 2019. Average daily handle in 2020 was $15,466,198.
A year after fans were not permitted to attend the races at Belmont, spectators were permitted back in limited capacity in 2021. Total ontrack handle for the 2021 spring/summer meet was $49,343,664, a figure that includes money wagered in-state through NYRA’s account-wagering platform NYRABets.
There were 211 races run on the turf in 2021, with 33 rained off the turf. In 2019, there were 188 races run on turf, 46 taken off. Average field size in 2021 was 7.69 horses per race, compared to 7.06 in 2019. In 2020, there were 248 races run, 120 on the turf. Only five races were taken off the turf in 2020, and average field size was 8.68 horses per race.
This year’s Belmont Stakes Day card generated handle of $112,725,278, a NYRA record for a non-Triple Crown year.
Racing moves to Saratoga on Thursday.