Churchill Spring Meet Topped by Record Purses, Handle
Churchill Downs had a record spring handling of $614 million, up 20% from 2021, an executive told the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund Advisory Committee Aug. 2. The meeting ended in early July.
Austin Schmitt, vice president of finance for Churchill Downs, told the committee that the handling of Kentucky Derby Week contributed a lot to the total number of meetings. During the final three weeks of the meeting, Churchill Downs suspended grass racing on its immature, problematic turf, racing only on the ground.
Racetrack Louisville, Ky. Arlington International Racecoursewhich Churchill Downs Inc. closed this year.
Schmitt says field size has increased by 10% over the course of 42 days in the spring, averaging 7.9 starters per race. He added that the track paid out a record $47.6 million in wallets, averaging over $1 million per day, and attendance was up 61% from the spring 2021 meeting, which has some limitations on COVID-19 capacity. Kentucky wallets soar on the back of historic horse racing sales.
Spring meetings increased despite two race days being canceled due to heat.
During Tuesday’s meeting, the committee also approved the transfer of $1 million in the KDTF from Kentucky Downs arrive Keenelandand the Kentucky Downs requirement to add KTDF coins to a specified bet pair if a level 1 winner competes.