27,273 attendance today @ SA, handle down 13 percent

[Andymays]

With handle up 5% and the new bonus plan for on-track P-6 play you would have expected a big bump in play. Last year on opening day the P-6 pool was $277,394 and this year it was $268,562. I'd be interested to know the on-track/off-track splits for P-6 betting for last year and this year. Although 1 day does not make a trend, it would appear that if the promotion to bring P-6 bettors on-track is working it is at the expense of off-track bets and it is not enticing additional P-6 play.

A friend of mine won the Pick 6 yesterday and was at Santa Anita. When he went to collect after the last race, and inquired about the 20% bonus, they said, sorry, the bonus doesn't start until January 1st.

I'm laughing so hard I'm choking. Not laughing at your friend but at Santa Anita for not starting it on opening day. It makes no sense. Sorry your friend didn't get the bonus.

[Tvghrtvfan]

Jay Privman tweeted:

"Opening day on-track crowd 27,273, down 9 percent from last opening on a Wed., in 2007. Last year's Monday opener drew 44,579. #santaanita"

[MaryS]

A friend of mine won the Pick 6 yesterday and was at Santa Anita. When he went to collect after the last race, and inquired about the 20% bonus, they said, sorry, the bonus doesn't start until January 1st.

http://www.drf.com/news/santa-anita-ope ... ix-bettors

...Santa Anita officials and Thoroughbred Owners of California on Friday were finalizing details of a creative idea that offers a 20 percent rebate bonus to winning ontrack pick six bettors. Takeout for the bet is 23.68 percent; the bonus drops the effective rate to 3.68.

Details have been slow to emerge, and track officials declined comment until the plan is signed, but one TOC source said, “It’s a done deal.”

As of Friday, the proposal faced legal and infrastructure hurdles; none was considered insurmountable. The concept is expected to work like this: Winning pick-six tickets purchased at Santa Anita by an “account-holder,” who must swipe an account card, would receive a 20 percent rebate bonus on non-carryover days...

This was posted on the 21st. Guessing those hurdles might not have been overcome in time.

[Andymays]

Delete post. I want to double check the numbers that were sent to me.

[Sun Devil]

Here are some wagering numbers on races run at Santa Anita using Equibase numbers.

Wagering was down 12.4% on races run at Santa Anita.

Super High Five Down 41.3%

Rolling Doubles Down 25.9%

Place Pick All Down 37.1%


WPS down 11%
Exotic down 13%
Total down 12.4%
Purses up 19%
field size is the same
number of races is the same

Handle down 1.7M, purses up 160K.

Is there any way to determine if the handle derived solely through TVG was up as compared to opening day in 2011?

[Suddenice]

Just got this tweet from Jay Priv...

Jay Privman ‏@DRFPrivman
SA's handle was, in fact, down yesterday compared to 2011. Figs to media for comparison from yr to yr were not accurate. Update to come.

[Southieboy]

Just got this tweet from Jay Priv...

Jay Privman ‏@DRFPrivman
SA's handle was, in fact, down yesterday compared to 2011. Figs to media for comparison from yr to yr were not accurate. Update to come.

Handle down 13 percent - from $15.5M last year to $13.4M this year.

[Andymays]

Just got this tweet from Jay Priv...

Jay Privman ‏@DRFPrivman
SA's handle was, in fact, down yesterday compared to 2011. Figs to media for comparison from yr to yr were not accurate. Update to come.

Handle down 13 percent - from $15.5M last year to $13.4M this year.

I believe that's all sources which includes monies wagered on other tracks. I double checked the earlier numbers that were posted by me and they seem about right.

[Hollywoodmike]

The mid Wednesday certainly couldn't have helped attendance as many workers returned to work the day after Christmas.

[Andymays]

The mid Wednesday certainly couldn't have helped attendance as many workers returned to work the day after Christmas.

Wednesdays and Thursday Opening Days are the worst for handle.