Del Mar attendance, handle improving but still well down from 2018

DEL MAR, Calif. – Average attendance and handle for the Del Mar summer meeting has improved slightly in recent weeks, but is still well below comparable figures from the 2018 meeting, according to data provided by the racetrack.

Through Sunday, the 25th day of the 36-day meeting, all-sources handle averaged $11,589,562 a card, a decline of 13.8 percent compared to $13,441,923 during a similar period in 2018.

Through July 31, the 10th day of the meeting, all-sources average handle was down 14.3 percent. Ontrack handle through July 31 was down 16.4 percent.

Ontrack handle is now down 14.3 percent to $1,468,615.

Ontrack attendance has made slight progress. Through Sunday, the track had drawn an average of 12,038, a decline of 8.5 percent from last year, compared to a decline of 9.7 percent through July 31.

The meeting began on July 17 and concludes on Sept. 2.

The track has run fewer races with fewer starters this year. Through Sunday, 203 races had been run with an average of 7.83 runners per race. During the corresponding period last year, there were 219 races that drew an average of 8.76 runners per race.