Keeneland fall meet wagering down from 2022; ontrack handle up

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Total wagering during Keeneland’s 17-day fall meet declined 3.5 percent compared to last year’s record fall meet handle, according to the charts of races that Keeneland held during the meet.

Though total fall handle declined from $209.2 million last year to $201.8 million this year, the total was the second highest in the history of the fall meet. Last year, Keeneland benefited from the publicity surrounding the 2022 Breeders’ Cup, which was held at the track the weekend after the conclusion of the fall meet, and from slightly larger fields.

Keeneland held 161 races this year, the same number as last year, so average wagering per race also declined 3.5 percent, to $1.25 million. Average field size this year was 9.1 horses per race, compared to 9.2 horses per race last year.

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Average daily purse distribution was $1.35 million during the meet, up 2.7 percent from average daily purses of $1.17 million last year.

The highest handle of the meet, $18.3 million, was set on Oct. 14, when Keeneland held a series of preps for the Breeders’ Cup. Last year, the same card drew $21.7 million in handle, a record for a single card at the fall meet.

The weather in Central Kentucky was relatively dry and warm for most of the fall meet, and ontrack average handle jumped 6.0 percent this year compared to last year’s fall meet, from $15.35 million in 2022 to $16.27 million this year.

Tyler Gaffalione won the fall meet riding title with 25 wins, six months after taking the spring meet title. Luis Saez, second in the standings for the spring meet, was second as well during the fall meet, with 20 wins.

The training title went to Brad Cox, his fourth straight trainers’ title at the Keeneland fall meet and his fifth at the track overall. Cox had 13 wins. Chad Brown was second with seven wins.

The owner’s title was split between Godolphin and Richard Rigney, who each had four wins.

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