Penn National sets handle marks

Penn Gaming’s strategy of putting on huge stakes days at its Mid-Atlantic tracks of Penn National and Charles Town is paying off, as Penn National set two handle records last Saturday on Penn Mile Night.

The Penn National racetrack side of the racino was very crowded that evening, and the casino side also appeared to be doing brisk business.

The Penn Mile card was anchored by the Grade 3, $500,000 turf race for 3-year-olds but also included the $150,000 Penn Oaks, $150,000 Pennsylvania Governor’s Cup, $200,000 Mountainview Handicap, and $75,000 Lyphard Stakes. The 10-race card handled a Penn National record $3.82 million.

The $1.25 million bet on the Penn Mile set a single-race wagering record at Penn National.

Penn National’s record day came just over a month after Charles Town set similar records on Charles Town Classic Day.

Charles Town handled a record $4.8 million on Classic Day, and the $1.5 million Classic set a single-race track mark of $2.4 million in handle. Amazingly, the $2.4 million figure is higher than any full-card handle figure in the 82-year history of Charles Town, excluding Classic Day cards.