Handle, Purses Up at The Downs at Albuquerque
Description:
The Downs at Albuquerque's 2015 split meet for Thoroughbreds and Quarter Horses that ended Sept. 27 produced increases in purses and wagering.
During the 53-day meet, which ran April 17-June 18 and continued from Sept. 11-27, a total of $11,513,592 was bet on the track's live races, an increase of 29% over last year's total handle of $8,134,617. Daily average handle reached $209,338, up 39% over last year's average of $150,641, and the per-race handle of $22,313 marked a 27-percent increase over the 2014 average of $17,607.
The Downs paid horsemen $9,731,741 in purses, an increase of 20% over the $8,093,454 paid during the track's 54-day season in 2014. The Downs paid average purses of $176,940 per day, up 18% from last year's average of $149,879, and the track's average-per-race purse of $18,860 marked an increase of 8% over the $17,518 average in 2014, according to the track.
Purses for Thoroughbreds totaled $5,381,921 this year, compared with $5,189,843, according to The Jockey Club Information Systems.
Stormin the Jewels won the meet's richest Thoroughbred race, the six-furlong, $205,185 Camino Real Futurity for New Mexico-bred 2-year-olds on closing day. Fred Danley trains the bay son of Attila's Storm for owners John Douglas May and Sue May of Fort Stockton, Texas.
Ol Winedrinker Who, a homebred 6-year-old gelding racing for Sam and Latane Stevens of Lamesa, Texas, and trained by Joel Marr, won two Thoroughbred races during the 39-day spring portion of the meet, including the season's richest open race, the 1 1/8-mile, $150,000 Downs at Albuquerque Handicap for the second straight year.
"We'd like to continue our momentum by bringing all of our big races back next year," said Downs director of racing Don Cook. "One of the next steps will be to get these races graded. We think the money is there. We just need to stay consistent with their purses and conditions."