Belmont Card Generates Second-Highest NYRA Handle

The wagering interest in the Belmont Stakes Day card June 9, highlighted by Justify's Triple Crown triumph, topped the wagering registered when American Pharoah  clinched his Triple Crown in 2015.

The $137,954,895 wagered on Saturday's 13-race card is the second-highest single-day handle total in New York Racing Association history, behind only the $151,109,373 wagered on the 2014 Belmont card, when Tonalist  denied California Chrome  the Triple Crown. This year's wagering total was up 1.6% from the $135,790,321 bet on the 2015 Belmont card, the most recent year the Triple Crown was on the line.

With an announced attendance of 90,327, on-track handle was $16,159,584. That total fell short of the two previous Belmonts where the Triple Crown was on the line.

All-sources handle for the three-day Belmont Stakes Racing Festival was $168,975,295, up 35% from last year.

All-sources wagering on the Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1) was $72,702,815 with on-track handle totaling $6,884,907. The all-sources handle for the Belmont fell short of both 2015 ($75 million) and 2014 ($83 million).

2018 Belmont Stakes Racing Festival Handle (all-sources, on NYRA races)

Thursday, June 7: $10,180,697 

Friday, June 8: $20,839,703

Saturday, June 9: $137,954,895

Belmont Stakes Racing Festival all-sources handle: $168,975,295

Belmont Stakes all-sources handle: $72,702,815

2017 Belmont Stakes Racing Festival handle (ALL SOURCES ON NYRA RACES)

Thursday, June 8: $10,309,890

Friday, June 9: $20,763,470

Saturday, June 10: $93,666,837

Belmont Stakes Racing Festival all-sources handle: $124,740,198

Belmont Stakes all-sources handle: $47,163,773

2015 Belmont Stakes Racing Festival handle (ALL SOURCES ON NYRA RACES)

Thursday, June 4: $7,082,133

Friday, June 5: $18,150,169

Saturday, June 6: $135,790,321

Belmont Stakes Racing Festival all-sources handle: $161,022,623

Belmont Stakes all-sources handle: $75,036,432