Pimlico: Average daily handle rises

Average daily handle was up at this year’s Pimlico meet, which consisted of 28 racing days, nine fewer than in 2015.

Handle was up on both the Black-Eyed Susan and Preakness cards, the key days of the meet. All-sources handle on Black-Eyed Susan Day was $19.4 million, compared with $17.7 million a year ago. Preakness Day handle was $94.9 million, a 10.5 percent increase from 2015.

Last year’s daily average handle at the Pimlico meet was $5.16 million.

“We did much better than I thought we would,” said Sal Sinatra, president of the Maryland Jockey Club. “Average handle was up 22 percent, or $1.1 million a day. Total wagering was down 9 percent, but we ran 24 percent fewer dates.”

Trevor McCarthy clinched the Pimlico riding title on closing day by riding three winners to give him 29 for the meet. Victor Carrasco and Jevian Toledo tied for second with 26, and Feargal Lynch was one more winner back in fourth.

McCarthy also won the Laurel winter-meet title.

Kieron Magee, who has spent much of his career based at Pimlico, first as an exercise rider and now as a trainer, won the training title with 14 wins, three more than last year’s leader, Jamie Ness.

Magee has led all Maryland trainers by wins in 2015 and 2014.