Prairie Meadows: Total handle rises

ALTOONA, Iowa - Prairie Meadows completed its 53-day Thoroughbred meeting with a 17 percent increase in daily all-sources handle, while ontrack handle slipped 4 percent from the corresponding meeting in 2001.

Ontrack handle averaged $81,609 per day compared with $84,633 last year, while total handle per day was $774,863 compared with $661,319 in 2001. The decrease in ontrack handle, as well as a portion of the increase in total handle, is a result of the track replacing Sunday afternoon racing with Wednesday evenings this year.

Wednesday's had higher total handle figures than did the Sunday programs last year, but ontrack handle was significantly lower.

On the track, Terry Thompson ran away with his third consecutive Prairie Meadows riding title, beating Luis Quinonez in winning rides, 92-52. Stanley Roberts broke open a close trainers' race in the final week to capture his second straight title here by a 32-27 margin over Ray Tracy Jr., who won here in 2000.

Racing resumes here July 15, for a 45-card meet for Thoroughbreds and Quarter Horses.