Canterbury: Mostly gains

Canterbury Park in Shakopee, Minn., concluded its 2006 meeting on Labor Day with gains in attendance, total and average daily handle, and offtrack wagering on the track's live races. Ontrack handle at the meet was down.

The 2006 meeting was shortened to 68 days as a result of a weather-related cancellation but still attracted 359,567 fans for an average daily attendance of 5,288, a 3 percent gain over 2005.

Handle from all sources averaged $531,219, a gain of 13.7 percent from 2005 when wagering averaged $467,210.

Average daily ontrack handle averaged $248,193, a 4 percent decrease. Wagering at offtrack facilities on the Canterbury signal in 2006 totaled $19,245,794, a 35.7 percent increase from the $14,179,613 wagered in 2005. Some of that increase can be attributed to the Claiming Crown, which was broadcast on the TVG network this season.

Wagering on full-card simulcasting decreased 2.1 percent on live race days.

Mac Robertson was the leading trainer with 44 wins. Paul Nolan won the rider title with 72 wins.

Trainer Edward Ross Hardy continued to dominate the Quarter Horse standings with 19 victories. Tad Leggett and Helen Vanek were tied for leading Quarter Horse rider with 13 wins each.