Meet business down a bit at Emerald

Betting was off a couple of ticks at Emerald Downs this summer during a 72-day meeting highlighted by Stryker Phd’s victory in the Grade 3 Longacres Mile and Stopshoppingdebbie’s sustained brilliance in the older filly and mare division.

Ron Crockett, Emerald Downs’s president, said wagering during the April 12-Sept. 28 meeting slipped 2.3 percent to a daily average of $1,150,936. That all-sources handle includes betting on Emerald’s races on-site and from remote locations, plus wagers made at Emerald Downs on out-of-state full-card simulcasts.

Crockett said wagering on Emerald races from all-sources averaged more than $732,000 per day, and betting on Emerald races by on-site patrons was $160,344, a 2 percent decline from the previous summer.

Crockett said attendance was up an estimated 6.7 percent.

Jeff Metz saddled 49 winners to capture his second consecutive training title, and Leslie Mawing (102 wins) dominated the jockey standings. Doris Harwood led all trainers with five stakes victories.

Mawing won his first Longacres Mile aboard Stryker Phd, who was unbeaten in three starts and was named Horse of the Meeting and top Washington-bred. He was judged slightly more accomplished than Stopshoppingdebbie, who won four times to run her career record to 9 for 9. Stopshoppingdebbie suffered her first defeat Oct. 4 at Santa Anita when she finished fifth in the $100,000 L.A. Woman Stakes.

A total of 641 races were contested during the meeting, including 23 for Quarter Horses. Average field size was 6.27 starters per race, down from 6.66 in 2013. Favorites won 39 percent of the races.