Delaware Park has first handle decline since 2008

For the first time since 2008, the average all-sources handle declined at Delaware Park. The 101-day meet ended last Saturday with an average all-sources handle per day of $1,483,786, down 7 percent from the 2010 daily average of $1,602,401.

“We had been very fortunate to post handle gains in 2009 and 2010 even though we were faced with increased competition and the challenges of a slow economy,” said John Mooney, the track’s executive director of racing. “Faced with even more competition and the still sluggish economy, we were not surprised by the decrease in handle this year.”

Single-day handle for the meet’s premier race, the Delaware Handicap, climbed 8 percent from 2010.