Sam Houston numbers decline

Sam Houston Race Park in Houston closed out its 82-night Thoroughbred meet last Sunday with a small drop in average daily attendance and handle compared with the corresponding winter-spring meet in 2004-05.

Handle from all sources on the track's races averaged $1,737,522 a night, a decline of 1.8 percent from $1,769,035 in 2004-05.

Of that amount, an average of $1,630,461 a night was bet offtrack, a drop of 1.4 percent, and $107,061 ontrack, down 7.2 percent.

Sam Houston averaged 2,851 patrons a night, compared with 2,939 last meet, down nearly 3 percent.

Purses this meet averaged $97,538, compared with $118,764 in 2004-05, a decline of 17.8 percent. The average field size dipped from 8.95 starters to 8.51.

Danny Pish won his first Sam Houston training title with 51 wins from 293 starters. Quincy Hamilton won his second straight riding title, with 87 wins from 407 starts.

Jim Bausch was the leading owner, with 14 wins.