Handle up slightly at Churchill spring meet

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Churchill Downs posted a marginal increase in all-sources wagering at the 38-day meet that ended Saturday night, halting a downward trend that included an 11 percent decrease at the corresponding meet last year.

According to figures sent via e-mail Monday by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission, total handle at the meet was $377,870,880, up 2 percent over the corresponding 2014 meet, which also consisted of 38 days and drew $368.8 million.

Field size at the 2015 spring meet averaged 7.82 horses per race, up from 7.29 last spring, a factor in helping Churchill post the minor gain. More than half the meet total was bet on Kentucky Derby Day, May 2, when a record $194.3 million was wagered.

Purse payouts averaged $542,142 per program and $55,982 per race, both up less than 1 percent from last year, when four more races were run. Gross purses were $20.6 million. Primarily because of positive Derby-week business, according to the track, a 10 percent purse hike for the final 11 days of meet was put into effect.

This meet was the first for the new winner’s-circle suites, a $4.2 million project, and the first for Twilight Thursdays, which attracted larger crowds than what had been customary for Thursday afternoon cards.

“Field size and purse levels remain major concerns for our daily racing product, but we offer our gratitude to our horsemen and racing fans,” Churchill racetrack president Kevin Flanery said in a media release. “All helped Churchill Downs racing take small steps forward on a challenging, competitive landscape during the just-completed meet, and we appreciate that support.”

Last spring, handle was down about 11 percent at Churchill compared with the 2013 spring meet, owing partly to some horseplayers boycotting because of a takeout increase.

Churchill reported 243 claims at the 2015 spring meet, up 34 percent from last spring. Those claims totaled nearly $4.8 million.

On the racetrack, Corey Lanerie was the leading jockey for the eighth time, Mike Maker was the leading trainer for the fifth time, and Ken and Sarah Ramsey were the leading owners for a record 24th time.

The next stand at Churchill is an 11-day meet Sept. 11-27.