Golden Gate handle, gate rise

ALBANY, Calif. - Golden Gate Fields posted a modest increase in ontrack attendance at its recently concluded 101-day meeting, the first time in a decade that a northern California Thoroughbred meet did not experience an attendance decline.

Attendance increased just under one-half of 1 percent, with an average of 2,619 people per day. Offtrack attendance declined by 3 percent to 4,494 per day.

There was a gain of more than 6 percent in average handle, with a $4,614,164 daily total, perhaps attributable to an increase in field size of nearly 6 percent. The handle increased nearly 14 percent at out-of-state locations with a $2,403,925 daily average, but dipped one-half of 1 percent at northern California sites, with a daily average of $2,210,238.