Keeneland Closes Out Successful Spring Meet

[Wandering Eyes]

Keeneland's 2024 Spring Meet concluded Friday with all-sources wagering exceeding $218 million, the third-highest handle in track history. Average daily purse money of $1.16 million attracted Thoroughbred racing's top stables and jockeys, delivering 16 days of quality racing complemented by community and special events that offered family fun with a philanthropic mission.

“A big thanks to our horsemen and sponsors, the crowds who turned out daily on track and those who watched and wagered on Keeneland across the country,” Keeneland President and CEO Shannon Arvin said. “We especially appreciate the cooperation of fans as we navigated the adjustments necessary to hold a race meet during construction of our new Paddock Building. We are proud this Spring Meet continued to offer the exceptional race-day experiences and traditions people know and love about Keeneland.”

All-sources wagering (not including whole card simulcasting at Keeneland) for the Spring Meet, held April 5-26, totaled $218,741,501, a decrease of 2.5% from last spring's record $224,348,745 for 15 days of racing.

On-track wagering totaled $15,831,087 compared with $15,844,092 in Spring 2023.

Wagering was boosted by a number of individual handle records. On Toyota Blue Grass Day, Apr. 6, all-sources handle for the 11-race card that featured five graded stakes totaled $29,261,346, eclipsing the previous single-day wagering record of $28,137,728 set in 2022. Single-race win/place/show wagering of $2,576,663 on the Toyota Blue Grass shattered the 2019 record of $2,068,406. The All Stakes Pick 5 ending with the Toyota Blue Grass handled $1,696,981, breaking the 2022 record of $1,539,098.

The Keeneland Turf Pick 3, a wager on the final three turf races daily, set a handle record of $280,308 on Apr. 13 to best last Fall's mark of $248,094. The wager paid a record $56,593 on April 18.

The Daily Double wager established handle records twice during the Spring Meet: $329,433 on opening Apr. 5 and $470,988 on Apr. 13 to surpass the previous record of $286,255 set Apr. 23, 2022. This Spring, Keeneland reduced the takeout on the Daily Double from 22% to 15%.

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