Record crowd, handle at Spa
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - The presence of Point Given on Saturday enabled Saratoga to set a Travers Day record for attendance and a meet record for mutuel handle for a single program.
A crowd of 60,486 smashed the previous mark of 54,116 set last year, and ontrack handle was $8,642,160 was an all-time Saratoga record, while the total commingled handle of $34,529,273 topped the previous record of $28,281,323. The wagering was helped by a two-day pick-six carryover of $219,813, which helped build the pool to $830,017. There was also a guaranteed pick four pool of $500,000. The actual pick four pool of $1,210,902 far exceeded management's expectations.
"That's an extraordinary figure on a program that featured a two-day pick-six carryover," said Bill Nader, senior vice president for the New York Racing Association. "It was the biggest surprise of the day."
Nader, said the previous high pick-four pool that he was aware of was the $565,571 wagered on last year's pick four at the Breeders' Cup.