Del Mar's Fall Meet Ends With Gains in Handle

After putting on its first Breeders' Cup in early November, Del Mar continued to make gains through the rest of its fall meeting, which came to a close Nov. 26.

All sources average daily wagering—which does not include the two-day Breeders' Cup Nov. 3-4—was up 7.5% as compared to 2016. Out-of-state handle increased 10.3% and on-track betting rose by 4%. Noteworthy, too, was the fact that the 14-day meet final wagering figure of $153.1 million exceeded the 15-day total of $152.5 million from 2016.

"We are, of course, very pleased with the results from our fall season," said Del Mar Thoroughbred Club president and general manager Joe Harper. "The Breeders' Cup got us off to a good beginning, but our fall meet has grown into a winner all its own and now has become a staple in California. With the support of our horsemen and our bettors, Del Mar's fall run has become the most prosperous November meet in the country."

The track's field size for the 14 days was 8.5 runners per race, which equaled last fall's average. The track's "Ship and Win" program took another jump forward during the fall run. Last year in 15 days Del Mar lured 31 "Ship and Win" horses to race at the meet. This year that number skyrocketed to 58 out-of-state horses during the 14 racing days.

"No doubt the Breeders' Cup helped expose Del Mar and our fall racing season to new parties," said the DMTC vice president for racing Tom Robbins. "And no doubt that exposure can—and likely will—have positive benefits going forward. But the ultimate success of fall racing at Del Mar is in the hands of our local horsemen and they have responded in a most emphatic fashion to what we've had to offer."

Del Mar's fall attendance numbers dipped slightly from the 2016 total, checking in at 77,218, for a daily average of 5,516, a decline of 5.3%.