It was another quiet weekend in the mid-Atlantic, according to our HandleTrak report. Regional handle dipped nearly nine percent to less than $11.1 million — its second slowest weekend in the last four months.
Charles Town, Delaware, Laurel Park, Monmouth, Parx Racing and Penn National hosted eight racing cards over the weekend. But with just two stakes among them, and national attention focused on Belmont and Keeneland, wagering activity averaged less than $1.4 million per card.
Penn National was the only track in the region to see handle rise. The central Pennsylvania facility took in more than $945,000 in wagering on its live product, according to Equibase, an increase of about 11 percent versus the prior weekend. Penn National’s Saturday card trailed only Monmouth’s two cards and Laurel’s one on the weekend.
Delaware and Charles Town had the slowest weekends. Both did less than $690,000 in handle on their one card, with Delaware’s card off by about 20 percent and Charles Town’s, by nearly 30 percent. Laurel, Monmouth, and Parx all saw declines, as well, though by smaller percentages.
Gross regional handle is expected to decline further in the coming weeks. Monmouth’s season ended this weekend, and Delaware will close following its Wednesday card.
For the season, Monmouth saw growth in both attendance and handle versus 2012. The track reported a 9.8 percent gain in average daily handle, to $4,440,595, while average daily attendance grew to nearly 9,000
REGIONAL HANDLE BY WEEKEND
