Saratoga enjoys big business for first week of meet

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Business was booming at Saratoga through the first four days of the meet, with double-digit increases in all-sources and ontrack handle from last season.

All-sources handle was $68,653,296, an 11.8 percent increase over the 2014 figure of $61,386,762. Ontrack handle was $17,304,651, a 17.1 percent increase over the 2014 figure of $14,776,040. Ontrack handle figures include money wagered on Saratoga’s races at Aqueduct, Belmont and through NYRA Rewards.

There have been 41 races run through Monday – the same number as last year – with 371 betting interests, a 9.4 percent increase over last year when there were 339. There have been 19 turf races run so far, compared to 22 last year. No scheduled turf races have been moved to the main track due to weather.

Saratoga’s reported paid attendance through Monday was 113,936, a 37 pecent increase compared with 83,217 last year. NYRA counts season passes sold in its attendance figures, and as of Monday 8,400 of those passes had been sold, according to a NYRA spokesperson. Season passes remain on sale through Sunday.

Action has been hot at the claim box as well, with 17 horses claimed for $593,000. By comparison, 21 claims worth $610,000 were made through the first four days last year.

Bill Mott won six races from 13 starters to lead all trainers through the first week of the meet, while John Velazquez won nine races – including both Grade 1 stakes – to lead all jockeys.

Racing at Saratoga continues through Sept. 7.