Keeneland closes 2023 spring meet with record all-sources handle
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Keeneland ended its 2023 spring meet Friday with record all-sources wagering handle and purse payouts, marking the fifth straight spring meet with a new handle record.
Total handle for a 15-day meet that began April 7 was $224,348,745, an increase of 2.3 percent over the previous record of $219.3 million set last spring. Per-day purses averaged nearly $1.2 million.
“A huge thanks to our fans, the community, and our horsemen who turned out in full force this spring to support Keeneland racing,” Keeneland president Shannon Arvin said in a prepared release.
Field size averaged 8.95 horses per race, and favorites won at a 36 percent clip (51 of 141).
Ontrack handle of $15.8 million was down marginally from last spring.
Keeneland stopped announcing attendance figures when the pandemic struck in 2020.
On the racetrack, Tyler Gaffalione won three races on closing day to be the leading rider with 21 winners. Wesley Ward led all trainers with 12 wins, and Godolphin was the leading owner with six wins.
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