2015 Spa meet sets handle/attendance records

[thespaah]

I figured this was a good year. Due to the great weather and small amount of races taken off the turf, handle was up. The weather helped to boost attendance as well.
http://poststar.com/news/local/handle-records-set-at-saratoga-race-course-meet/article_c5b93127-1638-586a-ab11-c782eebd821e.html

[OTM Al]

I figured this was a good year. Due to the great weather and small amount of races taken off the turf, handle was up. The weather helped to boost attendance as well.
http://poststar.com/news/local/handle-records-set-at-saratoga-race-course-meet/article_c5b93127-1638-586a-ab11-c782eebd821e.html

Handle records, but more phony attendance numbers

http://tenoonan.com/

[PaceAdvantage]

Good thing that last week didn't pull all the numbers down the drain, as was predicted by somebody in another thread... :lol: :lol: :lol:

[ronsmac]

Great weather and American Pharoah really helped, though I suspect there would have been a slight rise even if the weather were poor and AP didn't show. It appears even field size was up after the dismal fields of 2014. People will bet Saratoga if they have chicken races. It's similar to Gulfstream taking Calders dates , the same Florida horses but handle doubles. I'd expect next yrs Saratoga numbers to be down about 4%, weather will be worse and no triple crown winner.

[BELMONT 6-6-09]

Weather played a huge part in the handle figures but it is a positive that Saratoga brings out more of the younger people who might fuel the game in the coming years.

[thespaah]

Handle records, but more phony attendance numbers

http://tenoonan.com/
I will concur that with the season passes attendance figs are skewed higher.
However, with on track handle rising to the 2015 level, one must factor in that the possibility of higher attendance.
The reason is this. Typical per capita wagering for Saratoga is right around $200 per person. Using that as a yardstick, I used the avg daily on track handle and divided it by $200 PP.....The number was about 19,750....For 2014. using the same formula, the apparent attendance was around 18,500.
I understand the number of season passes was up from 6,400 to about 8,000 for 2015.
Now during my stay in NY I went to the track three times. I went thursday friday and the sunday after the Whitney.....In my mind the place seemed more crowded. I was out front and in the back yard as well. So I got a pretty good idea at the size of the crowds.
I did not go on days when attendance is at its lowest ( Mon and Weds)...
So I cannot speak to that.

[dilanesp]

If those attendance numbers are accurate, they averaged 26,641 a day, which is ridiculously, spectacularly good. (And with the prices NYRA is charging, they made plenty of money too.)