Saratoga total handle up over first four days

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. -- All-sources handle was up but ontrack business was down through the first four days of the 2016 Saratoga meet.

All-sources handle was $73,325,266, a 6.8 percent increase over the first four days of the 2015 Saratoga season when $68,653,296 was wagered. Ontrack handle was $16,315,659, a 5.7 decline from the $17,304,651 wagered in 2015.

The increase in all-sources handle comes despite the fact NYRA has not yet fully launched NYRA Bets, a national advance-deposit-wagering platform. Currently, only New York residents and some out-of-state residents are able to wager through that ADW. It is unclear when NYRA Bets will launch to what is expected to be 20 states.

Average field size was 8.44 horses per races, down from 9.02 in 2015. There were 41 races run through the first four days of each meet. This year, there were 20 turf races run, one more than last year. No races have been taken off the turf.

The handle figures are based on what is reported in the Equibase charts.

The New York Racing Association reported paid admissions to Saratoga through the first four days of the 2016 meet as 117,675, a 3.3-perent increase over last year’s figure of 113,936.

Following a dark day Tuesday, racing resumes Wednesday with first post at 1 p.m.