Del Mar business down over first 10 days of meet

DEL MAR, Calif. – Del Mar sustained significant declines in average attendance and handle through the first two weeks of the seven-week summer meeting, according to data provided by the racetrack.

Through Sunday, the 10th day of the 36-day season, all-sources handle averaged $11,863,783, down 14.3 percent compared to $13,850,047 in a similar period in 2018.

Ontrack handle declined 16.4 percent, from $1,877,307 to $1,568,956.

Ontrack attendance is down 9.7 percent, from 15,195 to 13,715.

The meeting began July 17 with a decline in business. The opening-day crowd of 31,276 was the lowest since 1999 and was down 5.5 percent from the 33,112 in attendance last year.

Part of the decline in average handle can be attributed to fewer races being run this meet. The track ran six fewer races in the first 10 days this year compared to 2018 out of concern over the number of race-ready horses in Southern California. Average field size has declined from 9.14 runners per race in the first 10 days of 2018 to 7.87 this year.

On some weekdays, the track has run seven races this year compared to eight in 2018.

“Part of the decline in handle [is because] we’ve eliminated races on some slower days with the goal of running the 36 days,” said Mike Ernst, Del Mar’s chief financial officer.