Breeders' Cup Schedule Hurt November Handle
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Thoroughbred wagering on United States races for the month of November declined by more than $50 million in 2014 when compared to the previous year, due in great measure to the first day of the Breeders' Cup World Championships falling on Oct. 31.
In 2013, both days of the World Championships were held in November at Santa Anita Park. This year, the first day of the racing festival generated total wagering of $45.81 million, according to Equibase. While that helped October's totals, it accounted for most of the November decline.
As a result, wagering on U.S. races in November 2014 was off by 5.62% overall. Handle totaled $851,893,217, including worldwide commingled figures, compared with $902,612,709 a year ago.
With the first-day Breeders' Cup wagering included, the November total would have been $897,708,329, leaving the monthly handle $4,904,380 behind last year for a decline in total betting of 0.54%.
Still, numbers are down for the year. For the first 11 months of 2014, total handle is off by 2.41% at $9,910,157,719. Last year, wagering had reached $10,154,624,757 by this point, according to Equibase.
Other indicators for the first 11 months are down as well. Purses are off 0.68% at $1,053,506,857 this year compared to $1,060,690,762. Race days, at 4,686, trails last year's figure of 4,791 by 2.19%. Total races, at 38,850, are 3.81% behind last year's figure of 40,390. And total starts are off by 6% at 297,612 when compared to last year's 316,615.
In other figures that also were impacted by the first day of the Breeders' Cup falling in October, purses fell 4.19% in November from $106,725,142 in 2013 to $102,250,781 this year.
U.S. race days for November declined 4.02% from 373 to 358; the total number of races dipped 5.17% from 3,174 to 3,010; and total starts dropped 5.92%, from 26,267 to 24,712.