Turfway Park Reported $1.1M March Handle, KY Simulcast Centers Had $7.7M

Written By Matthew Bain on May 17, 2023 - Last Updated on June 23, 2023
Turfway Park had $1.1 million March handle, from playkentucky.com

Turfway Park reported $1.1 million in March horse betting handle, and all horse racing simulcast facilities in Kentucky had $7.7 million in March handle.

That’s according to figures released by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission.

In Florence, Turfway Park was the only Kentucky horse racing track active in March. It had 14 race dates and took in a grand total of $1,105,852 in on-track horse betting handle. Of that handle, Turfway Park returned $784,210 to bettors. Per day, gamblers at Turfway Park spent $78,989 per race date.

All those numbers are increases from February, when Turfway Park reported $932,974 in on-track handle over 16 race dates.

Simulcast betting saw a bump in March as well

In terms of simulcast wagering in March, Keeneland led all facilities with $1.9 in simulcast handle. Churchill Downs reported $1.6 million, Red Mile had $1.4 million, Turfway Park reported $973,241 and Ellis Park rounded out the top five at $859,048.

The grand simulcast total of $7.7 million in March was a slight increase from February’s total of $7.6 million.

There are currently nine active horse racing simulcast centers in Kentucky. Here are those nine, with their March handle:

  • Keeneland — $1.9 million
  • Churchill Downs — $1.6 million
  • Red Mile — $1.4 million
  • Turfway Park — $973,241
  • Ellis Park — $859,048
  • Kentucky Downs — $773,331
  • Oak Grove — $178,274
  • Cumberland Run — $51,309
  • Louisville Thoroughbred Society — $12,643

What we’ll learn from April handle numbers

When the KHRC releases its April horse betting data, Turfway Park won’t be the only facility with live racing handle. In fact, its meet ended April 2. Revolutionary Racing, Keeneland, Oak Grove and Churchill Downs all had race dates in April and, thus, will have data reported by the KHRC.

We’ll have to wait until the release of May horse betting data for more details on Kentucky Derby numbers at Churchill Downs. However, Churchill Downs has already reported that gamblers bet a record $288.7 million on Kentucky Derby race day, over the 14 races that took place on May 6. That was a small increase from last year’s total, $273.8 million.

Of that $288.7 million, $188.7 was wagered on the Derby itself.

Photo by AP Photo/Garry Jones
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Matthew Bain

Matthew Bain started as a Content Manager for PlayKentucky and other Catena Media sites in 2022. He covered the launch of Massachusetts sports betting and the Prop 26 vs. Prop 27 battle in California. Before that, he spent six years as a sports reporter and then deputy sports editor for the Des Moines Register, during which time he won nine statewide journalism awards, including the Genevieve Mauck Stoufer Outstanding Young Iowa Journalists Award. As deputy sports editor, Matthew oversaw the Register's recruiting coverage while also innovating the outlet's high school sports coverage. Matthew graduated from San Diego State and grew up in California, but he's somehow a Boston Celtics fan. Long story.

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