Laurel Park Handle Continues to Climb

For the third consecutive year and eighth consecutive meet, Laurel Park registered an increase in average daily handle during its recently-completed summer meet.

Laurel's average handle during the 33-day summer meet was $2.725 million, up 25.6% over last summer's average of $2.170 million.

Total handle on Laurel's summer meet was $112 million, up from $63.2 million last year when there were 24 live race days.

"We're pleased that our product continues to trend upward with bettors, and horsemen throughout the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast continue to support our program," said Sal Sinatra, President and General Manager of the Maryland Jockey Club. "We will continue to build our product with quality racing, full fields and improvements throughout our facility, and we truly believe our upcoming fall meet will be the best in recent memory.

The fall meet will offer 44 stakes worth $4.42 million in purses, and a number of Super Saturdays highlighted by the Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash Stakes (G3) Sept. 16, the Baltimore-Washington International Turf Cup Stakes (G2T), and Commonwealth Derby presented by the Virginia Equine Alliance at Laurel Park (G3T) Sept. 30, and the James F. Lewis, City of Laurel, and Safely Kept stakes Nov. 11, the day when the career and life of Maryland champion Ben's Cat will be honored.

Laurel Park will play host to the 32nd Jim McKay Maryland Million Oct. 21, "one of the greatest days of the year in Maryland," Sinatra added.

Racing resumes at Laurel Sept. 8.