NYRA BETS BOOSTS HANDLE AT SPA
SARATOGASPRINGS, N.Y. » Saturday’s 11-race card marked the mid-point of the 40 day Saratoga Race Course meeting.
Although it was one of the rare occasions this summer that rain was a factor, delaying the final four races, the attendance and on-track handle for Saturday’s racing were up significantly from a year ago when half the card was cancelled because of a severe storm that hit the area.
The additional betting opportunities made an already solid first half of the meet look even better in the one statistic NYRA cares about the most for its economic viability - handle.
On-track handle was up 4.1 percent compared to 2016’s figures heading into Saturday and 8.6 percent afterward.
The number is even better for all-sources handle, which is up 10.6 percent compared to a year ago.
The increase in on-track handle is surprising considering the almost identical attendance at Saratoga Race Course according to daily figures reported by the NYRA.
Total paid attendance of 558,833 was reported for the first 20 days of the 2016 meet compared to 561,060 for 2017. That’s an increase of about 2,000 people, or 0.4 percent. It is not a significant enough change to account for the increase in handle.
As of 2014, NYRA’s daily attendance figures have included all season pass holders, whether they visited the track that day or not. That was also the case in 2016.
Director of Communications Pat McKenna mentioned the quality of racing and the growth of NYRA Bets - a mobile wagering app - as two reasons for the increases.
“The depth and quality of our fields over the first 20 days of the 2017 Saratoga meet has produced highly competitive racing and exciting wagering opportunities,” McKenna said. “As a result, we have seen increases in both on track and all sources handle over 2016. We’re pleased that the continued growth of NYRA Bets both nationally and in the New York markets has contributed to handle increases in 2017.”
No one can argue the first half of the meet has certainly drawn some top- quality horses.
Chad Brown’s Lady Eli prevailed in the Grade 1 Diana on the first Saturday of the meet while Abel Tasman with California connections Mike Smith and Bob Baffert impressed in the Coaching Club American Oaks a day later. Derby winner Always Dreaming took on Preakness winner Cloud Computing in the Jim Dandy July 29 only to see Good Samaritan rally from last to win. Gun Runner may have topped them all with a 112 Beyer figure in The 90th running of The Grade 1 Whitney Aug. 5.
However, there hasn’t been the type of superstar that draws thousands just for a morning workout like American Pharoah did in 2015 - or even Arrogate, last year’s Travers winner who is widely considered the best horse in training.
So while the maintained quality of racing is one explanation for the numbers, the increased popularity of NYRA Bets is another.
NYRA Bets is a free app introduced in 2016 that allows fans to wager right from their phone or tablet. A New York resident who downloads and uses the app to wager counts towards the on-track handle. That means a horseplayer at Finger Lakes could wager on a Saratoga race and still have it count as if he was in the backyard.
The availability of NYRA Bets in 26 states may have helped the increase in all- sources wagering. It also isn’t the only online app NYRA is promoting. Fans who enjoy that type of technol-
ogy have also downloaded an app called NYRA XP, which allows users to see upcoming events, purchase tickets, find their seat location, pin their car location, wager through NYRA Bets, live stream races and customize their viewing experience from various camera locations. NYRA XP has been downloaded more than 9,500 times according to NYRA. Nowthe app can even order food from certain backyard stands.
“NYRAXPhas been tremendously well-received by our fans at Saratoga this summer,” said NYRA Senior Vice President and Chief Experience Officer Lynn LaRocca. “Express Pickup provides our guests with a convenient and efficient way to enjoy several of our most popular food and beverage options on track, without missing a moment of the racing action.”