Kentucky Derby Day Handle Down 49.8% From 2019
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Photo: Rick Samuels
Horses race in front of a handful of connections on Kentucky Derby Day at Churchill Downs
Like the Kentucky Oaks Day wagering, all-sources wagering on Kentucky Derby Day Sept. 5 declined by about half with no fans in attendance to provide on-track betting, Louisville-based Churchill Downs Inc. announced at the end of the Saturday card.
All-sources wagering totaled $126 million, down 49.8% from last year's $250.9 million. It was the lowest since $123.2 million in 2002. On-track handle for the day last year was $21.3 million.
All-sources betting on the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) was $79.4 million, down 52% from last year's $165.5 million.
"We are grateful to our fans and our community for their support of the 146th Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby," Churchill CEO Bill Carstanjen said in a statement. "We look forward to seeing our loyal fans at next year's 147th Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby on the first weekend of May."
Churchill attributed the declines to the lack of on-track wagering, fewer horses per race, including in the Kentucky Derby that had 15 starters—the smallest field since 1998, and a prohibitive favorite in the Derby.
The race won by Authentic was staged four months later than normal because of COVID-19 restrictions, the latest the Derby has ever been conducted. The last time the Derby was not run on the first Saturday in May was in June 1945, at the close of World War II.
The Derby Day numbers followed a 48.8% drop in Oaks Day all-sources wagering at $30.8 million compared to last year's record $60.2 million. The all-sources total was the lowest Oaks Day handle since $30 million in 2009.
All-sources wagering on the Oaks race was $10 million compared to $19.4 million, a decline of 48.5%.
Only horsemen, media, and owners attended this year's Derby week races.
Churchill's statement said company officials "are pleased with the profitability of the spectator-less 2020 Derby week," adding that it would be difficult to compare performance to prior years. Derby week typically is an earnings engine for the company.
By comparison, the June 20 Belmont Stakes Day card declined by 33.7% from the prior year, generating all-sources handle of $67.8 million. All-sources handle on the Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1) was $34.1 million.