Opening week handle higher than a year ago

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – All-sources handle for the opening week of Saratoga was $90,112,254, a 12.1.-percent increase over the $80,325,660 handled during opening week 2020.

There were 41 races run during opening week in both years. This year, 26 races were run on dirt with 15 on turf. Five scheduled turf races were taken off the turf.

In 2020, there were 23 dirt races and 18 on turf with two scheduled turf races moved to the main track.

Average field size during opening week this year was 8.10, compared to 7.44 in 2020. Last year, several outfits didn’t come to Saratoga, or sent fewer horses, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Saturday’s 11-race card, topped by the Grade 1 Diana, handled $32,117,868, a 45 percent increase over last year’s figure of $22,105,560 for the first Saturday.

Sunday, with four scheduled turf races washed off to the main track and with a sloppy main track, handle was $15,850,369 down 21.7 percent compared to last year’s first Sunday handle figure of $20,256,850.

Total paid attendance for the first four days of the meet was 94,078.