Opening Weekend at Oaklawn Park Sets Records
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Photo: Coady Photography
Racing at Oaklawn Park
Opening weekend at Oaklawn Park Jan. 24-26 was highlighted by a record pari-mutuel handle, according to statistics released Feb. 1 by the Arkansas racetrack.
Total off-track handle of $12,787,682.84 increased 13.1%. Total mutuel handle of $15,400,631.44—money wagered on Oaklawn's races—represented a 7.7% increase.
Opening-day records were set for off-track handle ($4,759,768) and total handle ($5,789,986.10). The off-track figure also eclipsed the January record ($4,629,703.63) set last year.
"What a great weekend to start the 2020 race season," general manager Wayne Smith said. "Many thanks go out to our equine athletes, the owners, trainers, and jockeys for putting the best racing on the track. And a huge thank you to all our team members for enhancing the fan experience. We're looking forward to an amazing race meet."
Oaklawn, which has estimated attendance figures since waiving admission in 2015, released the second-highest attendance for the month since January racing began more than 30 years ago. According to figures released by the track, estimated total attendance for the first three racing dates was 57,500, a 3.6% increase over the corresponding period last year.
Oaklawn's scheduled 57-day meeting runs until May 2.