Calder has record day

MIAMI - Saturday's Festival of the Sun program established an all-time record for mutuel handle during a Calder meet when $9,061,264 was wagered on the 13-race program. The previous mark of $8.8 million was established on the 2001 Festival of the Sun card.

The handle was the second highest in track history, surpassed only by the $9.4 million wagered on Dec. 29, 2001, on the Grand Slam II card, which included four stakes, during the Tropical-at-Calder meeting.

The majority of the handle, more than $7.1 million, came from out-of-state sites. An announced crowd of 15,017 wagered only $1,214,392 on track. The remaining $718,113 was wagered from other parimutuel facilities in Florida.

While the handle set a record, betting on the $250,000-guaranteed pick four fell short of expectations, with track management forced to ante up more than $31,000 to meet the guarantee.