Total U.S. handle down in November, but daily average rises

Handle on U.S. races in November was down marginally compared with November figures last year, according to figures released on Wednesday by Equibase. The decline in handle was accompanied by a larger decline in race dates during the month.

Handle was down 0.7 percent, to $867.9 million, according to the figures, while race dates during the month declined 3.3 percent, from 392 last year to 379 this year. As a result, average handle per race date during November was up 2.6 percent, from $2.23 million last year to $2.29 million this year.

Race dates are facing downward pressure in the U.S. because of dramatic declines in the foal crop over the past five years.

Purses during the month were up 2.55 percent, from $101.9 million last year to $104.5 million this year, according to the figures. Purses in the U.S. are heavily subsidized by casino revenues.

For the year, handle is up 1.5 percent, according to the figures, while race dates are up 0.46 percent. Handle has declined on U.S. races every year since 2006, sliding 30 percent from its highwater mark.

Purses for the year are up 6.61 percent, largely because of the effect of massive payments from a casino that opened next to Aqueduct in October, 2011.