Handle Down a Bit Through First 20 Days at Del Mar

DEL MAR, Calif. – Just past the halfway point of the meeting, Del Mar is showing slight gains in attendance, along with a slight decrease in handle, according to its numbers at the end of the racing Sunday (Aug. 15).

On-track attendance figures revealed a daily average of 19,177 following Sunday’s 20th card, meaning the fan count is up 3.1 percent over the same 20 days from last year.

Conversely, average on-track handle has dipped 7.2 percent to $2,216,095, while overall handle — at an average of $11,904,449 per card — is down exactly 5.0 percent over the same period.

Through 20 days, the track has run 11 fewer races than in 2009 — 174 as opposed to 185.

Purse projections for the 37-day stand appear to be holding up as the season evolves. Vice president for racing Tom Robbins has indicated that he foresees no changes in the purse structure for the balance of the meeting.