feeds Local Updates (24/7)
 Spotlight Newspapers The Spotlight Newspapers comprise the quality weekly newspapers for the suburban communities in the Capital District. Learn More   |
Local Updates (24/7) Good news for Saratoga Race Track fans Posted on: 10/07/09 Written by: Spotlight Newsroom, Staff email: news@spotlightnews.com On the heels of a successful 2009 race meet at Saratoga Race Course, The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) will expand the 2010 season by four days, a revision that will remain in place for the foreseeable future. Next year’s Saratoga meet will begin on Friday, July 23 and consist of 40 racing days. It will feature a Wednesday through Monday live racing schedule that will go through Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 6. Each day of the meet will include a stake, and pending approval from the NYRA Board of Directors, the Grade 1, Coaching Club America Oaks, traditionally run at Belmont Park, will shift to the first weekend at Saratoga. The 2009 Saratoga meet was a "tremendous success on a number of fronts," according to NYRA officials. While Equibase, the racing industry’s official statistics-gathering organization, reported a 12.5 percent decline in wagering nationwide in August, the Saratoga season concluded down only 1.7 percent in all-sources handle, with a final number of $513,837,237. In addition, attendance and on-track handle were down just 2.1 and 2.2 percent, respectively. “Going into this year’s Saratoga meet, we predicted that wagering would decline approximately five percent from last year. We greatly exceeded those expectations,” said NYRA president & CEO Charles Hayward in a written statement. “The expansion to four racing days was a measured decision that reflects the overwhelming demand for racing that we have from horsemen in Saratoga,” said Hayward. In addition to the encouraging handle and attendance figures from the 2009 Saratoga meet, horsemen entered a record number 3,500 stall applications for 1,800 stalls. As expected, average betting interests per race for the meet increased 3.1 percent (8.38 vs. 8.13) and total betting interests increased 4.8 percent (3,058 vs. 2,919) from 2008. “At a time when many tracks in the country had to cut back on racing days, we not only continued to run six days a week at Saratoga, but did so with more horses entered per race as compared to last year,” said Hayward in a written statement. “This reflects the high demand for quality racing at Saratoga and is a very positive indicator for expanding the 2010 meet,” said Hayward. Founded in 1955, and franchised to run thoroughbred racing at New York’s three major tracks through 2033, the New York Racing Association Inc. has a lineage that stretches back almost 150 years. NYRA tracks are the cornerstone of the state’s thoroughbred business, which contributes more than $2 billion annually to New York State’s urban, suburban and rural economy. In 2008, 1,735,715 people attended the live races at NYRA tracks. Factoring nationwide off track wagering, the average daily betting handle on NYRA races alone totals more than $9.7 million every race day. For more information visit http://www.nyra.com. You can contact news@spotlightnews.com with any questions. Also, feel free to post comments below. Comments powered by Disqus |
Classifieds The Spotlight Newspapers classifieds has everything you need. General Auto Employment Real Estate Services Childcare Yard and Garage Sales Entertainment  Looking for something?
|
