Wagering on U.S. races and money distributed in U.S. purses in 2013 were both basically even with the 2012 numbers, according to figures released by Equibase on Sunday, while race days contracted 3 percent.
Two Daily Racing Form reporters, Marty McGee and Marcus Hersh, and the New York Times were named as winners of Media Eclipse Awards on Friday by the organizers of the awards.
Madeline Auerbach, a prominent Thoroughbred owner and breeder, has been appointed to the California Horse Racing Board, according to a statement from California Gov. Jerry Brown released Thursday by the racing board.
Javier Castellano, who set a single-season earnings mark, led the nation in both earnings and wins among jockeys in 2013, while trainer Todd Pletcher far outdistanced his peers once again, winning his eighth money title in the past 10 years.
Mountaineer Park in West Virginia had daily average handle of $1.18 million in 2013 for 210 race cards, an increase of 3.2 percent over the average wagering figure for the track last year, according to figures released by the track.
Penn National Race Course had average daily handle of $1.08 million for 197 race cards in 2013, a record for the track and an increase of 6.4 percent over the figure for the 2012 meet, according to figures released by the track.
Gulfstream Park and Calder Race Course in South Florida are in the midst of discussions over future racing dates at the two facilities, six months after the tracks began racing head-to-head for the first time, officials for both tracks said on Monday.
Average daily handle at Charles Town Races in West Virginia was down 1 percent in 2013 for 219 race cards, compared to 227 race cards held in 2012, according to figures released by the track.
A gamble by Penn National Gaming Inc. on Rosecroft Raceway, a struggling Maryland harness track, appears to have suffered a fatal blow with the state’s award of a casino license to MGM Resorts International a few miles from the track.
