Attendance Up, Handle Down for Santa Anita
Description:
Santa Anita Park saw a significant increase in on-track attendance and a slight decrease in all-sources handle when its 2015-2016 winter meet came to a close April 10.
The Arcadia, Calif. track said in a press release that attendance was up 8% and handle was down 1% for the 63-day winter meet, which began Dec. 26, but did not release figures.
For the fourth consecutive year and seventh time overall, Peruvian Rafael Bejarano led in the winter meet jockey standings, finishing with 74 wins. He also finished tied with Gary Stevens for most stakes won, with eight. Bejarano, 34, now has 24 overall Southern California riding titles.
In the trainer's race, upstart Phil D'Amato took his first Santa Anita training title with 74 wins. D'Amato also led in the stakes-won category, as his stable took eight added-money races.
Hronis Racing led all owners with 12 winter meet victories.