Stampede's live handle sees decline

All-sources handle on live racing at the Stampede Park meet that ended Sunday declined from the 2005 meet, while wagering at Stampede on imported simulcasts showed a sharp increase.

The average total daily handle on Stampede's races was $210,159 over the 47-day 2006 meet, compared with $252,966 daily at the 45-day meet in 2005, a decrease of 16.9 percent.

Of that, an average of $99,073 was bet ontrack, a decrease of 12.8 percent from 2005.

The commingling of Canadian wagers in most pools in the United States - all major jurisdictions save for Florida and California now allow Canadian sites to bet directly into their much larger pools - resulted in full-card Thoroughbred simulcast betting at Stampede jumping to $202,323 daily, an increase of 16.5 percent from 2005.

On the racetrack, Quincy Welch once again topped the rider standings with 78 wins and earnings of more than $1 million. Rickey Walcott was second with 54 winners and Stephan Heiler third with 39.

Greg Tracy was the meet's leading trainer with 24 wins and purse earnings of $372,591. Ron Grieves was second with 19 winners and Dale Greenwood third with 16.