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Handle Up Again, Purses Way Up in November

Betting on U.S. Thoroughbred races was up again year over year in November 2021, while the industry saw a major spike in purses for the month, according to figures released by Equibase Monday. The numbers continue the positive economic trends the sport has seen this year as it continues to emerge from the toll taken by the pandemic.

A total of $961,813,331 was wagered on U.S. races in November, up 7.4% from the November 2020 figure of $895,546,532. The November 2021 number is more flat when compared with November 2019, when $945,843,009 was wagered, but total handle for 2021 has now surpassed $11.4 billion, which is a jump of 12.18% over the total through November in 2020 and a 10.49% improvement on the number from the end of November in 2019. Wagering on U.S. races is likely to top $12 billion by the end of the year, a total that hasn't been reached since 2009, according to statistics from The Jockey Club.

If there is a small caveat to the positive handle numbers, it is that wagering per race day was down significantly in November at $3,305,200, a 17.33% decrease from $3,997,976 in November 2020, and for the year average wagering per race day stands at $2,986,058, a drop of 9.78% from $3,309,845 at this point in 2020. Compared to 2019, however, the 2021 numbers are still a drastic improvement, with the November figure representing a 12.04% jump and the year-to-date number showing a 20.67% increase.

Purses have also seen a dramatic improvement in 2021, although those figures are more of a reversion to the mean of 2019 as opposed to meaningful improvements on pre-pandemic levels. A total of $117,678,625 was paid out this November, a 27.78% improvement on the November 2020 number of $92,095,830, but just a 1.66% increase from the November 2019 total of $115,756,315. For the year, purses have totaled just over $1.1 billion, a huge 36.17% increase from the pandemic-affected number of $812,236,796 through November in 2020, but the 2021 number is essentially flat compared to 2019's purse figures through November.

Field size continues to be a bugaboo for the industry, as average number of horses per race was 7.7 in November, a drop of 7.79% from 8.35 in November 2020, and for the year the number is just 7.33, a 7.34% decrease from 7.91 in 2020. Field size averaged 8 and 7.49 for the month and year, respectively, at this point in 2019.

The post Handle Up Again, Purses Way Up in November appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Santa Anita Brings Back ‘Ship & Win’ Program For Upcoming Winter/Spring Meeting

As part of a continuing effort to attract new horses and thus help to ensure better field size, Santa Anita Park will again be offering significant bonuses to horsemen bringing out of state horses to run at Santa Anita's upcoming Winter/Spring Meet which opens on Dec. 26.

Eligible horses will receive a $5,000 bonus as well as purse money 35 percent above their allotted purse percentage for one start. Horses who become eligible at the 2021 Del Mar Fall Meet will also be eligible for Ship & Win bonuses for their first start at Santa Anita's Winter/Spring Meet.

The $5,000 bonus will also apply to any stakes horse that meets Ship & Win eligibility guidelines, but those horses will not be eligible for the 35 percent purse increase.

“All of us have been gratified at the success of the Ship & Win program this year, at both Del Mar and here at Santa Anita,” said Chris Merz, Santa Anita Director of Racing and Racing Secretary. “We're certainly hoping to continue to attract more out of state horses this winter and spring and given the significant amount of money available, this has certainly incentivized our horsemen to go out and procure additional racing prospects.”

Santa Anita's Winter/Spring Meet Condition Book One is available online at santaanita.com. For additional information regarding Santa Anita's 2021-22 Ship & Win Program, please visit our website or call the Santa Anita Racing Office at (626) 574-RACE.

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Economic Indicators For October: Field Sizes, Race Days Down While Wagering, Purses Up

Equibase, North America's horse racing's official database, has released its economic indicators for October 2021. These indicators include field size, wagering, number of race days, and other information distributed monthly alongside year-to-date, 2019, and 2020 data. The database shares 2020 and 2021 statistics and includes 2019's data for comparison to pre-pandemic numbers.

October's economic indicators show a decrease in the number of race days, number of races, and the average field size, while total wagering on American races, amount of purses awarded, and average wagering per race day have increased from October 2020. The number of race days decreased by 3.53%, with 12 fewer race days in October 2021 than in 2020. Fewer race days meant fewer races run, a 3.65% decrease over last year, and fewer starts for American horses, down 7.41% from 2020. The average field size decreased as well, from 7.86 in October 2020 to 7.55 in October 2021. These numbers reflect a continued trend from pre-pandemic October 2019, with the largest decrease in the total number of starts.

While the number of race days and races decreased from 2020, the total amount of money wagered and the amount wagered per race day increased, as did average purses awarded per race day and total purses awarded. Wagering totals from October 2020 were buoyed by the $51.2 million wagered on the Preakness, which was moved from its usual spot on the calendar in May due to the pandemic.

The largest increase was in average purses awarded per race day in October 2021, which was 22.97% higher than 2020. The total amount of purse money awarded in the United States grew similarly, up 18.63% from October 2020. These numbers are similar to those from October 2019.

Though the total wagered on races in the United States only grew by 2.32%, the average wagering per race day was up 6.06%, reversing a trend from September where wagering had decreased. These totals are up from 2019 as well, showing a 22.49% and 24.73% increase respectively from pre-pandemic numbers. Even with a decrease in the number of races, race days, and average field size, the amount wagered per day and over the course of the month continues to show double-digit growth. Year-to-date comparisons from 2019 to 2021 show similar trends.

Overall, while the number of races and race days has decreased, the amount of purse money awarded, the amount of money wagered on an average day, and the amount wagered in total has increased.

October 2021 vs. October 2020
Indicator	October 2021	October 2020	% Change
Wagering on U.S. Races*	$950,624,087	$929,063,211	+2.32%
U.S. Purses	$107,844,038	$90,904,717	+18.63%
U.S. Race Days	328	340	-3.53%
U.S. Races	2,748	2,852	-3.65%
U.S. Starts	20,750	22,410	-7.41%
Average Field Size	7.55	7.86	-3.90%
Average Wagering Per Race Day	$2,898,244	$2,732,539	+6.06%
Average Purses Per Race Day	$328,793	$267,367	+22.97%

YTD 2021 vs. YTD 2020
Indicator	YTD 2021	YTD 2020	% Change
Wagering on U.S. Races*	$10,448,766,933	$9,275,606,633	+12.65%
U.S. Purses	$988,391,517	$720,140,966	+37.25%
U.S. Race Days	3,530	2,849	+23.90%
U.S. Races	28,976	23,747	+22.02%
U.S. Starts	211,377	186,886	+13.10%
Average Field Size	7.29	7.87	-7.31%
Average Wagering Per Race Day	$2,959,991	$3,255,741	-9.08%
Average Purses Per Race Day	$279,998	$252,770	+10.77%

2019 Comparisons:

October 2021 vs. October 2019
Indicator	October 2021	October 2019	% Change
Wagering on U.S. Races*	$950,624,087	$776,071,164	+22.49%
U.S. Purses	$107,844,038	$91,981,753	+17.25%
U.S. Race Days	328	334	-1.80%
U.S. Races	2,748	2,754	-0.22%
U.S. Starts	20,750	22,176	-6.43%
Average Field Size	7.55	8.05	-6.23%
Average Wagering Per Race Day	$2,898,244	$2,323,566	+24.73%
Average Purses Per Race Day	$328,793	$275,394	+19.39%

YTD 2021 vs. YTD 2019
Indicator	YTD 2021	YTD 2019	% Change
Wagering on U.S. Races*	$10,448,766,933	$9,370,253,183	+11.51%
U.S. Purses	$988,391,517	$985,848,771	+0.26%
U.S. Race Days	3,530	3,849	-8.29%
U.S. Races	28,976	31,308	-7.45%
U.S. Starts	211,377	233,153	-9.34%
Average Field Size	7.29	7.45	-2.04%
Average Wagering Per Race Day	$2,959,991	$2,434,464	+21.59%
Average Purses Per Race Day	$279,998	$256,131	+9.32%

* Includes worldwide commingled wagering on U.S. races.

The post Economic Indicators For October: Field Sizes, Race Days Down While Wagering, Purses Up appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Wagering in 2021 Remains Robust

According to figures released Tuesday by Equibase, through the first three-quarters of 2021 wagering on U.S. horse racing is up 13.8% over 2020 totals. At the end of September, $9,498,141,414 had been wagered on the sport, a sizeable increase over the comparable figure of 2020 when $8,346,543,422 had been bet.

With a strong final quarter, the amount bet on U.S. racing for the year could top $12 billion. That would be the most bet during a year since $11.4 billion was wagered in 2010.

The record for most wagered in a year was set in 2003, when $15.18 billion was bet.

The gains in 2021 were achieved despite a decline of 12.32% in September and a 23.98% decrease in the category of average wagering per race day. The September numbers were skewed by the date of last year's GI Kentucky Derby, which was rescheduled due to the pandemic and held in September. The shift in the date of the Derby also led to a 2.18% decline in handle during the third quarter.

Because of COVID-19-related shutdowns, the 2021 and 2020 numbers may not line up perfectly, but there is still plenty of evidence that wagering on the sport has been growing. Equibase also released figures comparing numbers in 2021 to the pre-COVID numbers of 2019, which also point to an upward tick in wagering. The year-to-date handle figures comparing 2021 to 2019 show a 10.52% increase, including a 10.23% increase during the third quarter and a 13.71% increase during September.

In another telling statistic, when comparing 2021 to 2019 year-to-date figures, handle has risen 21.32% in the category of average wagering per race day.

It is believed that the sport may have picked up a significant amount of new customers during the early days of the pandemic in 2020 when it was among the only betting vehicles available while the major sports were shut down.

Purses have also increased during 2021. So far this year, the average amount of purses paid out per day is $274,998, which is a 9.65% increase over 2020 totals and an 8.14% increase over 2019.
Racing did not do nearly as well when it comes to the category of average field size. The number so far for 2021 is 7.16 starters per race, down from 7.87 in 2020 for a decline of 7.67%. That also represents a 1.63% decline from 2019. The 7.16 starters per race represents the lowest number in that category since the Jockey Club began keeping records in 1950.

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