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Record Springboard Mile Handle Closes Successful Season At Remington Park

Remington Park ended the 2021 Thoroughbred Season with a thrilling Springboard Mile Night on Friday, Dec. 17 as Make It Big won a stretch-long battle with Osbourne to win the track's top stakes event for 2-year-olds.

Both Make It Big (10 pts.) and Osbourne (4 pts.) earned qualifying points for the 2022 Kentucky Derby for their efforts in the Springboard Mile. The featured race was accompanied by a solid undercard of 12 other races with four of those also stakes events. The big night catapulted Remington Park to a record pari-mutuel handle night with wagering reaching $4,050,597. It was the first time in track history that handle on a single racing program exceeded the $4 million.

Total handle for the 67-date Remington Park season (Aug. 20-Dec. 17) reached $98,120,236, an increase of 31.2 percent over the similar number from the 2019 season which handled $74,806,848.

Remington Park also welcomed racing guests back in full for 2021, for the first time since 2019. Those on-track players responded with handle of $3,471,207 an increase of 15.8 percent over the 2019 mark of $2,997,881.

Export handle on Remington Park remained strong with $94,497,917 wagered by players from outside the jurisdiction controlled locally. That is an increase of 31.9 percent above the 2019 total of $71,620,980.

Remington Park's one off-track partner, Thunder Roadhouse in Oklahoma City, handled $151,112. Thunder Roadhouse is less than nine miles from Remington Park, offering wagering convenience to many local horseplayers.

Remington Park horsemen competed for record amounts in total purses of $17,838,020, an average of $266,239 daily. These totals are up 5.1 percent, topping the total mark of $16,971,799 in 2019, when the daily average was $253,310.

All handle and purses comparisons are made to the 2019 season, which was 67 dates in length and the most recent Thoroughbred season at Remington Park where the entire facility was available to guests. The 2020 season was conducted under limited access guidelines due to health concerns brought by the pandemic. 2019 was also the last racing year where the North American horse racing market operated on a regular business level.

There were 601 races conducted this season, nine fewer than a year ago. A total of 4,991 horses started this season for an average field size of 8.3. There were 5,261 starters in 2020 with average field size of 8.6 per race.

Remington Park live racing is on hiatus until the beginning of the 2022 American Quarter Horse Season, starting March 3. Thoroughbred racing will return in late August 2022.

The post Record Springboard Mile Handle Closes Successful Season At Remington Park appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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With Five Days Left In Meet, Saratoga Sets New Handle Record

At the completion of Wednesday's card, all-sources handle for the Saratoga meet stood at $709,437,410, which was enough to set an all-time handle mark for the historic race meet. After Wednesday, there were still five days left to the meet, which means the final handle number will shatter all records.

The previous handle record was set in 2019, when $705,343,949 was wagered. With fans not allowed on-track last year due to COVID-19 concerns, the 2020 handle came in at $702.5 million.

“The record-breaking handle numbers reflect the quality of racing here at Saratoga Race Course and the excellence of the summer meet, where all-sources handle has surpassed $700 million for three consecutive years,” said NYRA CEO and President David O'Rourke. “The business of Saratoga is stronger than at any point in its history, and that would simply not be possible without the support of the horseplayers and the hard work and dedication of the horsemen here in New York.

“Ultimately, these wagering dollars are critically important to sustain a robust purse account that supports hundreds of small businesses and the 19,000 good paying jobs that are directly tied to Thoroughbred racing. Beyond that, the enthusiasm that bettors have for Saratoga allows NYRA to invest in the kind of capital-improvement projects that are so important to the future of the sport. Whether it's a project like the renovation of the Oklahoma Training Track this year, or a frontside improvement like the construction of the 1863 Club, NYRA is committed to investing in our facilities for the betterment of the sport in New York and the industry as a whole. What's also clear is that Saratoga Live and our partnership with FOX Sports has been incredibly effective in reaching existing fans and developing new interest in the sport.”

O'Rourke noted that the return of the fans for this year's meet undoubtedly played a role in not just the robust handle figures, but the economic well being of the Saratoga community.

“Beyond the gates of Saratoga Race Course, the return of fans this summer has been critically important for downtown Saratoga Springs and the entire Capital Region business,” he said. “For the sixth consecutive year, we will eclipse one million in paid attendance, and this summer will long be remembered for the return of the best fans in racing to the rightful place at Saratoga.”

The record handle was accomplished despite a number of races coming off the turf. Through the 35th day of the meet, 76 races had come off the turf. In 2020, the number was just 31.

Once again, from a handle perspective, the highlight of the meet was the GI Runhappy Travers. S. card, which accounted for $51,381,515 in handle, down just slightly from the record set in 2019 when $52,129,344 was bet. The card for the GI Whitney S. generated an all-sources record handle of $36,802,234, bettering the previous mark of $35,796,434 set in 2020.

Should business remain robust through the end of the meet, NYRA has a chance to eclipse the $800 million mark for total handle. If so, that would mean an increase of about 13% over the 2019 figures.

The post With Five Days Left In Meet, Saratoga Sets New Handle Record appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Indiana Grand Set All-Quarter Horse Card Handle Record June 5

Indiana Grand Racing & Casino recorded its highest all-sources handle during the first of six All-Quarter Horse racing programs Saturday, June 5. A total of $1,000,393 was wagered to establish a new track record. The day featured 13 races, including two stakes races and trials for the Indiana Grand QHRAI Derby, with the top 10 heading to the $75,000 final set for Monday, June 28.

The seventh running of the $95,900 Harley Greene Derby was a good preview of 3-year-olds in the state with Beach Blast turning in a very impressive performance in the 350-yard dash. The sorrel son of Escondido Beach broke on top and never looked back for jockey Sammy Mendez, cruising under the wire for a one and three-quarter length advantage in a time of :17.650. WH Imastreakinbeach and Jose Ruiz finished second over Jess Bringin It On and Cesar Esqueda for third.

Owned by Keith Bode and Brock Hutchinson, Beach Blast is now four for eight lifetime and increased his career bankroll over the $200,000 mark. It was one of six wins on the card for Trainer Randy Smith, Indiana Grand's leading trainer.

“That horse can run,” said Smith of Beach Blast. “He could be one of the fastest ones I've ever had. We'll probably get him ready for the Blue River (Derby) next.”

The second Quarter Horse stakes of the day was a first for both horse and jockey. Erik Esqueda guided Jess a Flyin Beach to his first stakes win in the $83,200 Born Runner Classic. Starting from post two, the duo had good positioning early and was able to take over midway through the 400-yard dash to get a nose under the wire first for the win. Beach Mercedes and Sammy Mendez finished second followed by Beach Cartel and German Rodriguez for third.

Owned and trained by Tony Cunningham, Jess a Flyin Beach earned his fourth career win and increased his career bankroll to more than $119,000. The four-year-old son of Escondido Beach was making his second start of 2021.

“He's been second or third in stakes action but never quite got his head in front at the wire,” said Cunningham. “He has a lot of class. He's had some issues over the past couple of years but was able to put it all together today. I'm happy for Erik (Esqueda) to get his first stakes win. We have a great team and can't do it without all of them.”

Earlier on the card three trials were held to determine the final field for the Indiana Grand QHRAI Derby. The quickest qualifier of the day was Cartel Creek from the Randy Smith barn. Owned by Debbie Smith, the three-year-old son of The Louisiana Cartel scored the win in :20.215 for jockey Jose Beltran after grabbing an early lead.

The top 10 qualifiers for the Indiana Grand QHRAI Derby, with jockey and times, includes: Cartel Creek (Jose Beltran, :20.215); WRs Moonin the Wagon (Sammy Mendez, :20.261); Jess Over Yonder (Natasha Fritz, :20.358); Jess Good Reason SA (Uriel Cervantes, :20.450); Paint Me Brown (Uriel Cervantes, :20.473); CC Moonflash (L.D. Martinez, :20.532); Lone Cartel (L.D. Martinez, :20.603); Apollitical Tools (Giovani Vazquez Gomez, :20.623); Shez Bodacious (Cristian Reyes, :20.638); and AA Storm the Mozoomo (Erik Esqueda, :20.655). Tony Cunningham will saddle three in the final (CC Moonflash, Lone Cartel, AA Storm the Mozoomo) while Randy Smith (Cartel Creek, WRs Moonin Thewagon), Jose Aguirre (Jess Good Reason SA, Paint Me Brown) and Tim Eggleston (Jess Over Yonder, Shez Bodacious) will all saddle two in the final.

Another first was also recorded on the day as Trainer Shawna Martin not only scored her first career training victory but scored a double on the card. Martin kicked off the day with a win from Delightful Dahlonega, ridden by Cristian Esqueda, with a win in the first race followed by a win by Easy Torero, also ridden by Cristian Esqueda, in the afternoon's sixth race. Easy Torero was a surprise winner to bettors, paying $85.80 for the win.

The next all Quarter Horse Day at Indiana Grand is set for Saturday, July 3 followed by racing Saturday, July 24, Saturday, Aug. 14, Saturday, Sept. 4, and Saturday, Oct. 9. The track will also host two regional qualifiers for the AQHA Bank of America Challenge Championships this fall. The John Deere Juvenile Challenge and the Q-Racing Videos Distaff Challenge trials are scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 4 with the finals set for Monday, Sept. 20. All Saturday Quarter Horse racing begins at 10 a.m.

The post Indiana Grand Set All-Quarter Horse Card Handle Record June 5 appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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