Emerald meet has decline in handle at 2024 meet

Average handle and total handle during the recently concluded Emerald Downs meet in Auburn, Wash., both declined by double digits, according to an analysis by Daily Racing Form, while the average purse inched up 4.0 percent.

Total handle dropped from $60.1 million to $48.4 million, according to the analysis, while average handle per race dropped 18.9 percent, to $113,234. Emerald Downs ran three more race cards this year than last year but four fewer races, as the track attempted to deal with a shortage of horses throughout the west.

Field size for the meet was 6.42 horses per race, a slight decline from field size of 6.52 horses last year. Tracks in the U.S. endeavor to maintain a field size of at least eight horses per race, but those numbers have been especially hard to make in recent years throughout the Western region of the U.S.

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Total purses jumped marginally, from $6.82 million last year to $7.02 million this year, with the average purse per race climbing from $15,820 last year to $16,448 this year.

Alex Cruz ran away with the rider’s title, finishing with 64 winners and an 18 percent win rate. Justin R. Evans used a 32 percent win rate to easily prevail in the trainer’s race, winning 63 races. The leading owner was a partnership of Evans and Rakoczy Racing, with 17 wins.

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