Handle down 7 percent at California tracks

Handle figures at racetracks throughout California were down 7 percent in March, pushing the year-to-date data into negative territory for the first time this year, according to a report delivered April 16 at the California Horse Racing Board at Golden Gate Fields.

Handle at four venues in March – Thoroughbred races at Golden Gate Fields and Santa Anita, harness racing at Cal-Expo, and Quarter Horse and lower-level Thoroughbred racing at Los Alamitos – was $249,549,797, a decline of 7 percent from $267,460,696 in March 2014.

During that time, there was one fewer day of racing at Golden Gate Fields and Santa Anita and one more day at Los Alamitos. The Thoroughbred handle at Golden Gate Fields and Santa Anita in March was down 8 percent to $220,478,623.

For the year, handle at all venues was $752,362,883, a decline of 1.1 percent from handle of $760,729,341 for the first quarter of 2014.

Thoroughbred handle for the year was down 2.3 percent to $670,868,020. Santa Anita had three fewer programs in the first three months this year, while Golden Gate Fields had one fewer program.

The nighttime meetings showed year-to-date growth of 9.6 percent to $81,362,883. This year, there were six additional harness racing programs and three additional programs at Los Alamitos compared to the first three months of 2014.