Santa Anita average handle rises, total handle declines

Average all-sources handle rose at the six-month Santa Anita meeting that ended June 23, according to statistics provided by the California Horse Racing Board.

Average handle, including from ontrack, satellite, and account-wagering sources, was $11,670,777, a gain of 3.6 percent compared to $11,255,944 at the 2017-18 meeting.

The meeting was plagued by a series of equine fatalities in training and racing that led to the cancellation of 13 racing days in March for an inspection and renovation of the main track. Thursday racing was canceled through the spring because of concern over the number of race-ready horses. Santa Anita ran 23 fewer days than scheduled.

The track had 101 days of racing in 2017-18 compared to 81 this year. The total all-sources handle was $945,332,948 this year, a decline of 16.8 percent from the $1.13 billion handled in 2017-18.

Field size showed a decline this year, though part of that can be attributed to a wetter-than-normal winter. From Dec. 26 through June 23, the track ran 734 races that averaged 7.36 runners per race compared to 908 races that averaged 7.85 runners in 2017-18.

Santa Anita did not publish business figures at the end of the season.