Fair Grounds handle dips

Average all-sources handle on live races during the 81-day Fair Grounds meet in New Orleans declined by 1.6 percent compared with the figure for last year's meet, according to wagering information provided by the Louisiana Racing Commission.

Daily all-sources handle, including ontrack wagers and bets made on Fair Grounds races at offtrack locations, fell from $4,432,445 during the 2006-07 meet to $4,361,099 during the 2007-08 meet. Ontrack handle also declined slightly, by 0.6 percent, from an average of $226,377 a day to $225,048, according to the figures.

This was the first year that Fair Grounds had operated a temporary slot-machine casino at the track. Fair Grounds is owned by Churchill Downs Inc.

The 2007-08 Fair Grounds meet ran from Nov. 22 to March 23.