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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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Record Handle For 38th Breeders’ Cup

Edited Press Release

Total all-sources common-pool handle for the two-day Breeders' Cup World Championships at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club was $182,908,409, a new record for the two-day event.

The total represents a 4.7% increase over the prior record of $174,628,986 set when the event was held at Santa Anita Park in 2019 and a 14% increase from the total handle of $160,472,893 at the 2020 event held at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, KY.

Total common-pool handle on Saturday's 12-race Breeders' Cup card was a record $121,562,392. All sources common-pool handle on Breeders' Cup's 10-race Future Stars Friday card was $61,346,017, also a new record for a Breeders' Cup Friday. This is the fourth consecutive year that Breeders' Cup grouped all its juvenile races together on Friday.

“We had an extraordinary two days of racing showcasing the best Thoroughbreds from around the world and we want to thank our partners here at Del Mar, who did an amazing job, and the greater San Diego community, our gracious hosts this week,” said Breeders' Cup President and CEO Drew Fleming. “The Breeders' Cup is a truly global event with winners this weekend bred, raised and raced on three different continents.”

On-track handle for the two days was $19,032,307, while on-track attendance for the two days was 47,089. Due to precautions related to COVID-19, Breeders' Cup and Del Mar reduced ticket capacity for the 2021 event.

“Our team at Del Mar was thrilled to host this year's renewal of the Breeders' Cup,” said Josh Rubinstein, Del Mar's President and Chief Operating Officer. “We want to extend our congratulations to all of this weekend's participants. They put on an amazing display of world-class competition.”

The Breeders Cup World Championships will return to Keeneland in 2022.

The post Record Handle For 38th Breeders’ Cup appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Keeneland Fall Meet Closes With Record Wagering

The 2021 Fall Meet at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Kentucky, closed Oct. 30, with record all-sources wagering of better than $181 million over the course of 17 days of live racing at the historic facility.

When the dust had settled Saturday afternoon, all-sources wagering (not including whole-card simulcasting at Keeneland) totaled $181,009,626, obliterating the previous record of $164,680,229 established during this year's Spring Meet and the previous Fall Meet record of $160,207,916 set in 2019. This year's all-sources wagering numbers represented a 22% increase over last fall's $148,229,708. Keeneland offered a beefed-up stakes schedule worth $6 million across 22 black-type races.

On Saturday, Oct. 9, the second of the three programs that comprise 'FallStars' weekend, Keeneland established a new Fall record for single-day all-source wagering of $20,926,640, surpassing the prior record of $18,392,756 set in 2019. A new benchmark was also set for Pick 5 Wagering, as a sequence consisting of only stakes races attracted $1,255,080 in wagers, besting the previous record last fall by about 50%.

Keeneland also instituted for the first time an 'All-Turf' Pick 3 wager, that offered a low 15% takeout. The wager handled an average of $112,233 per day, with an average payout of over $1,300 for the base $3 wager.

“We are so appreciative of the tremendous support from our fans, our horsemen, the Central Kentucky community, our horseplayers and our corporate partners,” Keeneland President and CEO Shannon Arvin said. “Welcoming fans back to Keeneland this fall, along with the return of our special events and tailgating on The Hill, felt like a breath of fresh air after the restrictions of the past year and a half. It was a terrific way to mark our 85th year of racing and to celebrate the important role Keeneland plays in our community and the horse industry.”

On the racing side, Keeneland hosted 10 races in the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series, offering the winners of those races fees-paid berths into a variety of Breeders' Cup races. A dozen of the aforementioned 22 stakes events were held on the grass. Keeneland added a pair of juvenile sprint stakes–the Myrtlewood and the Bowman Mill S.–at the back end of the meet and revived the Perryville S. and Bryan Station S. for 3-year-olds.

Tyler Gaffalione ran away with the jockeys' title, booting home no fewer than 29 winners, while Brad Cox won the final race of the meet with new 'TDN Rising Star' Famed (Uncle Mo) to clinch a second consecutive fall title. Godolphin and Calumet Farm finished in a tie for leading owner with four wins. Sheikh Mohammed's operation, along with prominent owner/breeder G. Watts Humphrey, Jr. were each recipients of a prestigious Keeneland Tray, emblematic of having won their eighth graded stakes at Keeneland.

Keeneland hosted their annual 'Make a Wish' day, a charitable undertaking that was the brainchild of the late John Greely IV, on Oct. 14, benefiting 10 children; College Scholarship Day Oct. 15; and Heroes Day, presented by Rubicon, Oct. 24, further demonstrating the Keeneland Association's commitment to philanthropic efforts in the broader community.

The post Keeneland Fall Meet Closes With Record Wagering appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Economic Indicators: Rescheduled 2020 Kentucky Derby Skews September Numbers

Equibase, North American racing's official database, released Tuesday its September 2021 statistics for the industry's economic indicators, including field size, wagering, and other data, along with year-to-date and 2019 and 2020 numbers. The database distributes 2020 and 2021 numbers and includes 2019's data for comparisons to pre-COVID-19 pandemic numbers.

Since the September of 2020 data includes that year's re-scheduled Kentucky Derby, it is no surprise that total wagering in September of 2021 is down significantly, by 12.32 percent. When compared with the year-to-date numbers, however, total wagering shows a positive trend: an increase of 13.80 percent.

Interestingly, the average wagering per race day category does show declines from the first nine months of 2020 compared to the first nine months of 2021, down over 10 percent. This is likely due to the fact that horse racing was one of the only viable sports on which wagering dollars could be spent during 2020, whereas most regular sporting events, and thus wagering on them, resumed during 2021.

When compared to the 2019 year-to-date figures, total wagering in 2021 is up 10.52 percent, a positive trend from pre-pandemic numbers. Race days and the number of races have continued to decrease, while field size is nearly steady at a decline of just 1.63 percent.

September 2021 vs. September 2020
Indicator	September 2021	September 2020	% Change
Wagering on U.S. Races*	$911,921,042	$1,040,000,472	-12.32%
U.S. Purses	$129,274,281	$110,307,205	+17.19%
U.S. Race Days	421	365	+15.34%
U.S. Races	3,365	3,101	+8.51%
U.S. Starts	24,107	24,447	-1.39%
Average Field Size	7.16	7.88	-9.13%
Average Wagering Per Race Day	$2,166,083	$2,849,316	-23.98%
Average Purses Per Race Day	$307,065	$302,212	+1.61%

3rd QTR 2021 vs. 3rd QTR 2020
Indicator	3rd QTR 2021	3rd QTR 2020	% Change
Wagering on U.S. Races*	$3,220,215,555	$3,292,016,515	-2.18%
U.S. Purses	$365,390,507	$305,067,601	+19.77%
U.S. Race Days	1,321	1,208	+9.35%
U.S. Races	10,436	9,989	+4.47%
U.S. Starts	73,324	76,402	-4.03%
Average Field Size	7.03	7.65	-8.14%
Average Wagering Per Race Day	$2,437,710	$2,725,179	-10.55%
Average Purses Per Race Day	$276,601	$252,539	+9.53%

YTD 2021 vs. YTD 2020
Indicator	YTD 2021	YTD 2020	% Change
Wagering on U.S. Races*	$9,498,141,414	$8,346,543,422	+13.80%
U.S. Purses	$880,542,199	$629,236,249	+39.94%
U.S. Race Days	3,202	2,509	+27.62%
U.S. Races	26,228	20,895	+25.52%
U.S. Starts	190,627	164,476	+15.90%
Average Field Size	7.27	7.87	-7.67%
Average Wagering Per Race Day	$2,966,315	$3,326,641	-10.83%
Average Purses Per Race Day	$274,998	$250,792	+9.65%

2019 Comparisons:

September 2021 vs. September 2019
Indicator	September 2021	September 2019	% Change
Wagering on U.S. Races*	$911,921,042	$801,998,134	+13.71%
U.S. Purses	$129,274,281	$118,229,293	+9.34%
U.S. Race Days	421	412	+2.18%
U.S. Races	3,365	3,329	+1.08%
U.S. Starts	24,107	25,231	-4.45%
Average Field Size	7.16	7.58	-5.48%
Average Wagering Per Race Day	$2,166,083	$1,946,597	+11.28%
Average Purses Per Race Day	$307,065	$286,964	+7.00%

3rd QTR 2021 vs. 3rd QTR 2019
Indicator	3rd QTR 2021	3rd QTR 2019	% Change
Wagering on U.S. Races*	$3,220,215,555	$2,921,407,748	+10.23%
U.S. Purses	$365,390,507	$349,864,886	+4.44%
U.S. Race Days	1,321	1,411	-6.38%
U.S. Races	10,436	11,097	-5.96%
U.S. Starts	73,324	80,738	-9.18%
Average Field Size	7.03	7.28	-3.43%
Average Wagering Per Race Day	$2,437,710	$2,070,452	+17.74%
Average Purses Per Race Day	$276,601	$247,955	+11.55%

YTD 2021 vs. YTD 2019
Indicator	YTD 2021	YTD 2019	% Change
Wagering on U.S. Races*	$9,498,141,414	$8,594,182,019	+10.52%
U.S. Purses	$880,542,199	$893,867,018	-1.49%
U.S. Race Days	3,202	3,515	-8.90%
U.S. Races	26,228	28,554	-8.15%
U.S. Starts	190,627	210,977	-9.65%
Average Field Size	7.27	7.39	-1.63%
Average Wagering Per Race Day	$2,966,315	$2,445,002	+21.32%
Average Purses Per Race Day	$274,998	$254,301	+8.14%

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

The post Economic Indicators: Rescheduled 2020 Kentucky Derby Skews September Numbers appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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