Laurel Park summer handle jumps by a quarter

Rapid Dan (#2) cruised to victory in an allowance at Laurel Park. Photo by The Racing Biz.

From a Maryland Jockey Club release

For the third consecutive year and eighth consecutive meet, Laurel Park registered an increase in average daily handle during its recently-completed summer meet.

Laurel’s average handle during its 33-day summer meet was $2.725 million, up 25.6 percent over last summer’s average of $2.170 million.

Total handle on Laurel’s summer meet was $112 million, up from $63.2 million last year when there were 24 live race days.

“We’re pleased that our product continues to trend upward with bettors, and horsemen throughout the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast continue to support our program,” said Sal Sinatra, President and General Manager of the Maryland Jockey Club. “We will continue to build our product with quality racing, full fields and improvements throughout our facility, and we truly believe our upcoming fall meet will be the best in recent memory.

The fall meet will offer 44 stakes worth $4.42 million in purses, and a number of Super Saturdays highlighted by the De Francis Memorial Dash (G3) Sept. 16, the Baltimore-Washington International Turf Cup (G2) and Commonwealth Derby (G3) Sept. 30, and the James F. Lewis, City of Laurel and Safely Kept Nov. 11, the day when the career and life of Maryland champion Ben’s Cat will be honored.

On Saturday, Oct. 21, Laurel Park will play host to the 32nd Jim McKay Maryland Million, “one of the greatest days of the year in Maryland,” Sinatra added.

Racing resumes at Laurel Friday, Sept. 8.