Keeneland handles $63.3 million during five-day July meet

Total handle at the recently concluded five-day Keeneland meet in Lexington, Ky., was $63.3 million, the track announced, for average daily handle of $12.7 million.

The meet was held without spectators, though horse owners were allowed on the grounds. Earlier this year, Keeneland canceled its spring meet due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the track later reached a deal with Ellis Park to transfer that track’s racing dates so that Keeneland could run a five-day meet from July 8-12.

Total handle was boosted by the track’s Saturday card, which featured six stakes races, including the Grade 2 Blue Grass Stakes. On that day, total handle for 10 races was $23.8 million. The record for a Blue Grass Stakes card was set last year, when $25.8 million was bet on an 11-race card.

With 10 graded stakes run during the meet offering a total of $2.575 million in purses, average daily purse distribution was $950,000. Average starters per race was 9.4.