Average daily handle, attendance up at Hollywood

Hollywood Park closed its 32-day Autumn Meet on Saturday with average daily

handle of $10.9 million, up 4.7 percent from the figure of $10.4 million in

2006. Track officials were especially pleased with the increase, considering

that it came despite the lack of a Breeders' Cup simulcast during this year's

meet.

"Last year was the only time simulcast wagering on the Breeders' Cup was

available during the Autumn Meet, so we're ecstatic with this year's increase,"

track president Jack Liebau said. "Excluding Breeders' Cup day, we finished

ahead in on-track wagering and up 8 percent in total handle."

On-track attendance averaged 4,944, up 3.6 percent from the figure of 4,775

in 2006. The on-track average handle of $1.3 million was down 4.8 percent from

$1.4 million in 2006, but excluding Breeders' Cup day, on-track handle was up

1.6 percent. An 8-percent increase in Advance Deposit Wagering (ADW) on

Hollywood Park races helped boost handle figures.

The Autumn Meet was highlighted by the Turf Festival on Thanksgiving weekend

and deep, quality fields in the major stakes races, including 12 starters in the

$750,000 CashCall Futurity (G1) on closing day. The CashCall Futurity, sponsored

by J. Paul Reddam's consumer loans company, drew several horses from across the

country and generated the best handle at the meeting with an on-track count of

$2,509,875 and total handle of $18,510,491.

Average field size was 8.6 starters compared to 8.5 a year ago. Purses

averaged more than $400,000, compared to $389,000 in 2006.