Handle falls at 2025 Santa Anita fall meet after decline in CAW wagering, lack of California Crown event

Handle on races run at Santa Anita declined 9.1 percent at the track’s autumn meeting that ended Sunday, according to figures compiled by Daily Racing Form.

Two factors contributed to the decline.

This year’s meeting had a different promotional format than the 2024 season.

In 2024, the track’s parent company, 1/ST Racing, heavily supported the California Crown program on the first Saturday of the season, significantly enhancing purses of some stakes, conducting a concert, and offering an array of food and beverage options not normally available. The program had an announced ontrack attendance of 21,812 and all-sources handle of more than $17.9 million.

This year, there was no such promotion. The first Saturday of the meeting, with stakes purses reverting to 2023 levels, had an announced ontrack audience of 11,223 and all-sources handle of more than $11.6 million.

Secondly, Scott Daruty, senior vice president with 1/ST Racing, told Bloodhorse.com in an interview earlier this week that betting through computer-assisted wagering accounts declined by $8.5 million at the Santa Anita autumn meeting. CAW accounts are not permitted to bet in win pools with less than two minutes to post to avoid circumstances when significant bets lead to changes in final odds. Such fluctuations have left everyday bettors frustrated.

Daruty warned that a similar decline in CAW business during the track’s longer winter-spring meeting that begins on Dec. 26 “will be catastrophic.”

Santa Anita began a 16-day autumn meeting on Sept. 26. Handle only on races run at Santa Anita was more than $109.9 million compared to more than $121 million in 2024, according to Daily Racing Form.

This year’s autumn meeting had 152 races compared to 147 in 2024. Average field size rose from 7.5 runners per race in the fall of 2024 to 7.9 per race this year. Field size at the track’s spring meeting earlier this year was 7.38 runners per race.

On the track, Juan Hernandez led all riders with 28 wins, nine more than Umberto Rispoli. For Hernandez, the title was his eighth in the last nine meetings at Santa Anita, beginning with the winter-spring meeting of 2022-23.

At the Santa Anita spring meeting earlier this year, Antonio Fresu led all riders with 34 wins, four more than Hernandez. Fresu was fifth in the standings at this year’s autumn meeting with 12 wins.

Phil D’Amato led trainers with 13 wins, two more than Bob Baffert. D’Amato was the leading trainer at the Santa Anita spring meeting.