Total Handle Up 21.4% at Turfway Holiday Meet

Blood-Horse

Despite racing two fewer programs during its 2014 holiday meet, Turfway Park registered a 21.45% increase in total pari-mutuel handle compared with the comparable meet in 2013, according to Kentucky Horse Racing Commission statistics.

Turfway in December 2014 offered 16 programs, down from 18 the previous year. On six occasions wagering topped $2 million. In December 2013 there were no programs that generated wagering of $2 million or more.

Total handle in December 2014 was $31,135,521, up from $25,637,320 for December 2013. Average daily handle on the live product was $1,945,970, up 36.62% from December 2013.

Turfway for its most recent meet shifted Saturday first post time to 6:15 p.m. EST from 1:10 p.m. For the four comparable Saturdays, handle in 2014 averaged $1,884,680 per card, up 35.23% from $1,396,657, according to KHRC figures.

The highest one-day handle of $2,567,874 came Sunday afternoon Dec. 21.

“The meet exceeded expectations,” Turfway general manager Chip Bach said Jan. 3. “The goal here is to keep seeking the sweet spot by taking advantage of the right days and post times to maximize handle.”

Field size for the 2014 holiday meet averaged 10.14 horses per race, up from 8.90 during the comparable meet in 2013, according to The Jockey Club Information Systems. Purses averaged $113,058 per program in 2014, up 12.69% from $100,332 in 2013.

Total purses of $1,808,934 included $521,500 from the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund, which supplements money for Kentucky-breds in upper-level races. In December 2013 the KTDF allotment was $419,500, according to TJCIS.

A change in state statute involving the KTDF was cited for an increase in the number of higher-level races filling in December. The change allows horses entered for a claiming price of $25,000 or more in allowance races to be eligible for the KTDF purse supplements.