Track sets wagering record at 2017meet
Race attendance down slightly, but bettors shell out more than $ 675 million
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N. Y. » The 2017 Saratoga Race Course season set a record in terms of wagering and broke 1 million in paid attendance.
According to the New York Racing Association, the 2017 season brought in more than $ 676 million, up 4.4 percent from the previous high set in 2015 and shattering the prior record set in 2012 by more than 15 percent.
The 4.4 percent increase in wagering from all sources included $ 157,014,965 in on- track handle, a 3.4 percent increase over last season, which incorporates live pari- mutuel wagering at Saratoga Race Course, at NYRA’s downstate tracks and state residents who wager through NYRA Bets. Additionally, the $ 47,870,987 in handle generated on Travers Day marked the second- highest han--
dle in history for Saratoga’s premier day of racing, an increase of 5 percent over 2016.
Total paid attendance for the 2017 Saratoga meet was 1,117,838, slightly down from last year’s mark of 1.12 million.
“The 2017 Saratogameet has truly been outstanding, and for that I would like to extend my gratitude to the fans, owners, trainers and jockeys who continue to make Saratoga so special,” said NYRA CEO and President Chris Kay.
The 40- day meet included 69 stakes worth $ 18.775 million in purses.
Michael Dubb made it four straight titles as the meet’s leading owner with 15 wins. Todd Pletcher captured the H. Allen Jerkens training title, tying the Spa record for wins with 40. Jockey Jose Ortiz earned back- to- back Angelo Cordero Jr. titles as the meet’s top rider with 58 wins.
The greatest thoroughbreds in training assembled at Saratoga Race Course on Travers Day, including for the first time in 35 years the three winners from the Triple Crown series and the Jim Dandy, plus champion filly Songbird and the resilient Lady Eli. The race itself was won by West Coast.
Gun Runner, the top ranked horse in the nation, began his Saratoga campaign with an impressive five- length win in the 90th anniversary of the Whitney Stakes, then returned to action on the meet’s closing weekend to dominate the Woodward Stakes, with a more- than10- length victory.
The summer also marked the one- year anniversary of NYRA Bets. NYRA’s national platform, which is now available in 29 states, an increase of nearly 50 percent, since first being introduced to horseplayers at the start of last year’s meet. This summer, NYRA launched the NYRA Bets Late Pick 5, which quickly became one of the most popular bets in the nation. The multirace wager, which covered the last five races of every
card of live racing at Saratoga, featured a minimum single- ticket payout of $ 150,000 daily and $ 300,000 on Saturdays to NYRA Bets customers online and on- track betting with a NYRA Bets account.
Launched in conjunction with NYRA Bets last summer was NYRA’s flagship racing broadcast, “Saratoga Live.” As a result of additional distribution agreements with Fox Regional Sports Networks in southern California and Ohio, Saratoga Live expanded its reach this summer into more than 75 million households, including new audiences in Los Angeles, San Diego, Ohio and Kentucky.
More than 16,000 guests in 114 cities and across 25 countries downloaded NYRA XP during the Saratoga meet. The app integrates with both NYRA Now and NYRA Bets, enabling fans to watch live racing in high definition, wager through NYRA Bets and purchase tickets, parking, food and merchandise at the click of a button. Fans for the first time were also able to utilize the app to reserve a ride with Uber, the official ridesharing partner of Saratoga Race Course.
NYRA’s other technology upgrades including increasing on- track wireless capacity by 250 percent.
At the start of the 2017 meet, NYRA introduced the newly- renovated Saratoga Family Zone, a smoke and alcohol- free interactive play area with an oval multi- lane running track, a miniature replica starting gate, a “selfie” photo station, spring horses and educational panels designed to teach children about the life of a race horse. The improvements to the playground are viewed as critical to the long- term sustainability of Saratoga Race Course by offering families an enticing option for their children when visiting the track, laying the groundwork for future generations of racing fans.
NYRA also unveiled several upgrades to the historic paddock mutuel building, including a new slate roof and rafters. The improvements are intended to ensure the continued preservation of the historically significant building, which was constructed in 1902 and originally used as a saddling shed during inclement weather.
NYRA welcomed more than 40 local and regional non- profit organizations, schools and PTAs to Saratoga Race Course. The majority of the non- profits had an exclusive day at the Community Outreach Booth to help further their marketing, outreach and fundraising efforts, while local schools and PTAs took part in the Berkshire Bank Family Mondays series to raise funds and reconnect with fellow students and parents.