Churchill spring-summer betting handle up nearly 4 percent despite Derby decline
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Total betting handle at the Churchill Downs spring-summer meet in Louisville increased by 3.9 percent, while average handle per race was up 1.7 percent, according to figures compiled by Daily Racing Form.
While the betting increases were slight, the jumps were notable this year because they were not fueled by substantial gains in commingled wagering on the Kentucky Derby and its blockbuster card, as has been the norm since 2021. Betting on the Derby fell 3 percent this year, while betting on the Derby card fell 1.8 percent.
For the 44-day meet, total handle was $790.3 million, according to the analysis, up $29.6 million over total betting of $760.7 million for the 43-day meet last year. Churchill held 425 races this year compared to 416 races last year, with the gain coming from the addition of a Sunday card in the lead-up to this year's Derby.
Average betting per race was $1.86 million, up 1.7 percent compared to last year. Average field size fell slightly, dropping from 8.17 horses per race during last year’s spring-summer meet to 8.08 this year. Churchill held 108 turf races during the meet compared to 96 last year.
Total purses distributed during the meet was $62.8 million, up 5.5 percent over total purse distribution of $59.5 million last year. The average purse was up 3.3 percent to $147,798.
Churchill increased the purses this year of many of its Derby day stakes races, and it also bumped up the purse of the Stephen Foster Stakes from $1 million to $2 million. Despite the purse increase, the Stephen Foster ended up with a five-horse field, although four of the runners were stars of the older dirt male division.
Total handle on the Stephen Foster card, held on the penultimate day of the meet, was $23.3 million, according to the analysis, up 12.5 percent over handle last year of $20.7 million. There were 94 runners on the 12-race card this year, compared to 89 runners in 12 races last year.
Handle for the 2024 Stephen Foster card was $18.9 million. Churchill officials said that one of the goals of the purse increase was to generate more national interest in the entire Stephen Foster card.
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