Delaware sees handle decline

Total handle on Delaware Park's 2007 live races declined 6.8 percent this year, according to figures the track released Thursday. The all-sources handle averaged $1,576,146 daily, compared with $1,691,582 for the 2006 meet, also 135 days.

Bill Fasy, Delaware's chief operating officer, blamed the drop on small fields and fewer live races. Delaware averaged 6.8 starters per race in 2007.

"We believe there are an insufficient number of horses in the mid-Atlantic area to support the number of live race days throughout the region," Fasy said.

On the track, Jeremy Rose ended Ramon Dominguez's four-year reign as leading rider, winning 155 races.

Scott Lake saddled 97 winners to become only the second trainer to top the track's training standings for six consecutive years. Bud Delp won seven titles in a row from 1963 to 1969.