Retama averages jump

Retama Park near San Antonio reported double-digit gains in both average daily attendance and handle for the 32-night meet that ended Saturday, increases attributable to fewer nights of racing.

Retama reported average daily attendance of 2,437 patrons a night, up 11 percent from a 51-night meet in 2006. Offtrack handle on Retama's races averaged $781,661 a night, a 24 percent gain over last year. The track also handled an average of $105,709 a night on its races onsite, which was up 38 percent from 2006.

Retama reduced its race week from four nights to three this year, and also started its season a month later, on Sept. 7, in order to race during milder temperatures in San Antonio.

Danny Pish won his ninth straight Retama training title with 40 wins from 189 starters, for stable earnings of $465,981. The second-leading trainer was John Locke with 18 wins.

Eguard Tejera captured the riding title with 50 wins from 234 starts for mount earnings of $547,470. The leading owner was Tbd Owners LLC, which won 11 races and $93,395.