"Racetracks that received subsidies from slot machines in 2010 generated on average only two-fifths of the betting that non-subsidized tracks generated even though they distributed nearly equivalent levels of average daily purses, according to unofficial statistics assembled by DRF."

"Handle through two of the three leading national account-wagering platforms in the United States declined in the first quarter of 2011 compared with the first quarter of 2010, according to the platform operators and regulators in Oregon, where the platforms have betting hubs. The decline signals a contraction in the account-wagering market for perhaps the first time. Combined with a slight increase for the third large account-wagering operator the overall 7.9 percent decline is the first significant quarter-to-quarter drop for the leading operators in the account-wagering sector, which has been the only growing component of the national wagering market over the past several years. The decline far exceeded a 1.8 percent contraction in race days during the quarter and was a significant component in an 8.5 percent decline in total wagering on U.S. races for the first three months of the year."

"Ontrack handle had the lowest decline of 3.3%. The average this year was $976,919 this year versus $1,010,939 last year. The largest drop came from out-of-state handle, which fell 14.3% from an average of $4,533,707 last year to $3,887,198 this year. In other categories, in-state handle at other wagering outlets dropped 7.7%, and California advance deposit wagering handle was down 11.9% to $518,107 per day. ADW has been hailed by many in the industry as the primary growth channel for handle. Overall, total average daily handle for 2010-11 was $6,675,569, down 11.6% from $7,553,653."

"Global pool betting on last Saturday's Dubai World Cup meeting reached record levels, with Hong Kong leading the way, despite the first of six races on which bets were taken, the Godolphin Mile, not going off until 9.50pm local time."

"Since NYRA keeps 10 percent of wagers considered to be made ontrack -- which includes phone, Internet, and Belmont -- the $52 million increase helped offset the $50.4 million decrease in handle that was associated with the closure of New York City OTB. NYRA only got 2.5 percent of a dollar wagered at OTB. Thus, NYRA realized approximately a $5.2 million revenue increase."

"Pari-mutuel wagering in California declined by $501 million during fiscal year 2009-10, and betting through advance deposit, the only growth area in the state's handle for the past several years, also dipped slightly."

"It's painfully obvious something needs to be done. No one who holds a high position in the industry wants to admit it, but the horseplayers' boycott because of the increased takeout has had an effect. How much, no one knows for sure, but it's hurt business at a time when horse racing didn't need the hit. So who's fault is it? Who's to blame for the sport being in such disarray?"

"The assumption was that an increase in purses would reverse a dismal decline in field sizes, which would boost handle and benefit the tracks as well as the owners, who foresaw a 25% increase in purses. In addition, optimism was high going into the Santa Anita meet with the return to a dirt main track, replacing the synthetic surface that was reviled by some handicappers. Two months into the season, though, those trends have failed to materialize. While purses are up by $1.3 million due to the increase, field size has remained static and is even down slightly. Through Jan. 31, according to figures provided by the California Horse Racing Management Systems, all-sources wagering at Santa Anita has dipped 10.81% from last year, and Golden Gate has experienced a 19.92% decline. Those figures were calculated on the basis of daily averages rather than gross handle."

"Total pari-mutuel handle at New York Racing Association tracks was up 76% in the first month after the shutdown of New York City Off-Track Betting Corp., according to state officials. The increase amounts to about $11.6 million in added facility handle, according to the New York State Racing and Wagering Board."

“Some of the weakest tracks got slot machines,” Waldrop said. “Those tracks probably should have been out of business a long time ago. So we’re taking a well-known, widely distributed product with a great brand and replacing it with a less well-known, less widely distributed product. Horseplayers are not gravitating to those products.”

"Despite the drop in handle, Haines said there is no threat of a purse reduction. 'We’re where we want to be, but that’s something that’s we’re looking at every day,' he said."

"It's all a numbers game, and Santa Anita management doesn't agree with the handle figures being floated around the Internet concerning the first 12 days of the track's winter-spring meet. While cold, hard figures show Santa Anita's overall handle was down 17 percent through Thursday, track officials contended Saturday their handle was down only 8 percent if you use 'comparable days' rather than 'calendar days.'"

"Hey, I'm not saying the owners don't risk a lot of money and I'm not blind to the fact it costs a lot of dough to keep a horse in training, but last time I checked it took two to tango, and while the sport would not exist without owners, it also wouldn't be around without the bettors, either."

"Overall, daily average total handle at NYRA in December was down 8.1 percent compared with 2009, though daily average attendance was up 39.4 percent, most of that coming following the Dec. 8 closure of OTB."

"Obviously, we are losing bettors to other forms of gambling. We are in the midst of an unmanaged, market-driven contraction touching most aspects of the racing business."

"The declines underscored the fragile state of racing as the sport continues to struggle with declines in market share and the aftereffects from both the recession and a spectacular bust in the bloodstock market. Wagering and purses have dropped precipitously for the past three years, despite ever-increasing amounts of subsidies from other types of gambling, while race days have only recently begun to contract significantly due to the pressures facing the sport."

"The New York City system wagered $9.6 million on Turfway Park races in 2009, resulting in $169,000 in revenues that were split between Turfway and its horsemen through purses ..."

"Hayward said he sent a letter to the New York State Racing and Wagering Board proposing a 120-day pilot program, during which any regulated in-state advanced deposit wagering entity could video stream NYRA's races."

"But the complexities of the state’s racing money distribution formula presents some opportunities for NYRA. NYCOTB had been paying NYRA about 2.7% of its handle on bets made at parlors and over the internet and phone accounts. But NYRA gets to keep 10% of the handle on live bets, and the state considers live bets to also include wagers made through NYRA’s ADW operation. Also, if a NYCOTB ADW patron migrates to an out-of-state ADW, NYRA would get about 50% more per wager than it had gotten on bets on its races made through NYCOTB."

"Total all-sources handle from Wednesday was down 3.8% to $5,385,903 compared with an average of total all-sources handle from the November 24 and December 2 cards. All three of those cards featured nine races and were comparable in that December 2 was a Thursday card and November 24 was the most recent Wednesday card."

"What could occur? Pari-mutuel handle would grow to about $15.5 billion a year in 10 years; purses would increase to about $1.7 billion a year; the number of races would drop from 56,000 in 2010 to 31,000; race days would go from 6,600 a year now to 3,100; the number of racetracks would drop from 55 to 26; average handle per race would rise from $230,000 to $495,000; the average purse per race would increase to $55,000 from $22,000; the number of starters would drop from 74,000 to 56,000; and field size would grow from 8.2 horses per race to 12."

"Evans said that racing’s customers still respond to quality, and that if the downsized industry keeps more of the quality product and reduces the poor end that the industry should thrive. To illustrate that point, Evans noted that handle on the top 25 races actually increased 18% in 2009 versus 2003, even as total handle during that period declined 19%."

Re: Secretariat: "You wouldn't think of this as a family film but it is a film that plays for families. In the fall, those kind of movies tend to show strong legs.... Now we just need to convince the people on the coasts to see the movie." Good luck. [Secretariat box office 10/8-10/10, $12.6 million. BEL handle same period, $26.7 million. OTH, $21.2 million.] See also: http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-et-box-office-20101011,0,4671549.story

"Johnson said if the industry agreed to lower the average pari-mutuel takeout rate from 20.5% to 10%, all bettors would benefit because it would put more money into the pools and perhaps grow handle, which is down several billion dollars [sic] from last year. Current margins for rebates would be eliminated."

The Breeders' Cup spin is that Friday was a day of record handle and that fans love the new format. But Steve Crist looks closer and finds that a year-to-year race-to-race handle comparison tells a very different story. Handle on the filly and mare races was down 32%, with the Distaff alone falling off by $3.2 million.

"Racing isn't dying. Far from it. Follow the money, and you'll find the game."