On-track numbers up, off-track and total wagering down at Churchill

Churchill Downs had mixed results during its spring meet  (Michael J. Marten/Horsephotos.com) Churchill Downs ended its 52-day Spring Meet on Sunday with increases in on-track attendance and wagering and decreases in off-track and total wagering. It was the first meet at the Louisville, Kentucky, track since the completion of a $121 million renovation program. On-track wagering totaled $95,976,633, an increase of 10 percent compared to last year’s total of $87,236,407, which was hindered by construction of the track’s new clubhouse. An average of $1,845,704 was wagered on-track each day, a jump of 12.1 percent compared to the daily average of $1,645,970 in 2004. The total attendance rose to 718,270, an increase of 13.4 percent over last year’s total of 633,616. The meet’s average daily attendance rose to 13,813, a jump of 15.5 percent compared to 11,955 in 2004. While on-track wagering posted solid increases, off-track betting declined and contributed to a decrease in daily averages for total wagering during the meet. Off-track wagering on this year’s meet totaled $489,220,707, a decrease of 3.9 percent compared to $509,135,463 in 2004. Average daily off-track wagering was $9,408,091, a drop of 2.1 percent from the 2004 average of $9,606,329. The decline in off-track wagering contributed to a drop in total wagering on Churchill Downs races during the spring session. Total wagering for the meet — which includes on-track betting and all money wagered at off-track sites and simulcast centers — was $585,197,340, a 1.9 percent decrease compared to the 53-day total of $596,371,870 in 2004. The daily average total was $11,253,795, up slightly from last year’s average of $11,252,299. Among the factors that contributed to declines in off-track and total wagering was a drop in the average number of betting interests per race. The year’s session had an average of 8.26 starters per race, compared to an average of 8.48 betting interests in 2004 and an average of 8.88 wagering interests in 2003.

This year, field sizes at Churchill Downs were impacted by quarantines ordered by the
Kentucky Department of Agriculture. Sections of two barns at Trackside
Louisville Training Center were quarantined for the equine bacterial disease
known as strangles in March. A similar quarantine in Florida delayed a number of
horses shipping to Kentucky. Then, shortly after the Spring Meet began, three
Churchill Downs barns were placed under quarantine following the confirmation of
cases of the contagious equine herpes virus. More than 90 horses were affected
by that quarantine and kept out of competition for nearly a month.

Purses for the Spring meet totaled $25,164,885, an increase of 2.9 percent
compared to $24,463,392 in 2004. Daily purses averaged $483,940, an increase of
4.9 percent over last year’s average of $461,573.

The Churchill Downs Spring Meet included a record-setting Kentucky Derby (G1)
on May 7. A crowd of 156,435, the second largest in the history of the 1
1/4-mile event, watched 50-1 longshot GIACOMO (Holy Bull) shock 19 opponents
with a stretch-running victory in the 131st renewal of the “Run for the Roses.”

Wagering on the Derby itself totaled $103,325,518, marking the first time
that more than $100 million had been wagered on a single race in North America.
Total betting on the Derby’s 12-race program set a North American record of
$155,133,631, an increase of 9 percent compared to the previous racing record of
$142,848,289 established on Derby Day 2004. On-track wagering on the 12-race
Derby Day card rose 22 percent to $22,117,166, while on-track betting on the
Derby itself was $10,055,508.

A record crowd of 111,243 attended the Kentucky Oaks (G1) program on the
previous day. On-track wagering topped the $12 million mark for the first time
on the Oaks Day card while total wagering was more than $31 million.

Rafael Bejarano earned his second consecutive riding title with 64 victories.
The 23-year-old Peruvian finished well ahead of runner-up Robby Albarado, who
won 51 races. Bejarano became the first jockey other than Hall of Fame legend
Pat Day to win back-to-back leading rider crowns in the Spring Meet since Julio
Espinoza earned three consecutive titles from 1978-80.

Jordan Charkoudian finished with seven wins as both the leading apprentice
and leading female jockey.

Louisville native Dale Romans earned his fifth leading trainer title in six
years. Romans, who started slowly as his stable rebounded from the strangles
quarantines in Florida and Kentucky, ended up with a runaway victory by saddling
36 winners. Joe Woodard and Steve Asmussen, the 2004 Spring Meet leader, tied
for second with 20 victories each.

Woodard, another native of Louisville, saddled a record 10 straight winners,
which erased the previous standard of eight straight wins set by Patrick Byrne
in 1997.

Louisville automobile dealer Billy Hays, Woodard’s primary owner, earned his
first ever title as leading owner with 19 victories, which snapped a string of
five consecutive Spring Meet owner titles won by Ken and Sarah Ramsey. The
runner-up spot went to the Ramseys, who finished one back of Hays.

ELLEN’S FOXY GIRL (The Deputy [Ire]) won four races in as many starts and was
the meet’s leading race winner. SCAT CAT JAMEY (Wild Rush), SET TO SPARKLE (Lite
the Fuse) and MEAN KISSER (Kissin Kris) each won three of four starts at the
meet.