Belmont handle a record for non-Triple Crown year

Posted: June 9, 2019

A 13-race program on Belmont Stakes day June 8 generated total commingled pari-mutuel handle of $102,163,289, a record for a non-Triple Crown year, the New York Racing Association said.

The $1.5 million classic was won by Tracy Farmer’s Sir Winston, trained by Mark Casse and ridden by Joel Rosario.

Wagering was up 9.1% from 2017, the most recent year without a Triple Crown on the line, and up 2.8% from the previous record for a non-Triple Crown year set in 2016. Compared with last year’s all-sources handle of $137,954,895—Justify won the Triple Crown—this year’s total was down 25.9%.

On-track handle for the June 8 program, which featured eight grade I stakes, was $11,852,506, NYRA reported.

For the second time in its history, the 2019 Belmont Stakes offered separate-pool wagering in Japan given the presence of a Japanese-based horse, Master Fencer. The non-commingled pool totaled $4,362,972.

All-sources handle on the 10-horse Belmont Stakes was $53,237,527, down 26.7% from $72,702,815 but up 12.8% from $47,163,773 in 2017.

Paid attendance on Belmont Stakes Day was 56,217.

The three-day Belmont Stakes Racing Festival (Thursday through Saturday) generated all-sources commingled handle of $131,858,527, down 21.9% from $168,975,295 last year but up 5.6% from $124,749,198 in 2017. This year’s average handle per race—33 races—was just shy of $4 million at $3,995,712.

(Photo of Sir Winston courtesy of NYRA/Joe LaBozzetta)