Churchill Spring Meet ends with gains in on-track wagering, attendance

Churchill Spring Meet ends with gains in on-track wagering,

attendance

Churchill Downs concluded its 2007 Spring Meet on Sunday with gains in

average daily on-track wagering and attendance. Average daily attendance during

the 52-day meet, which began on April 28, rose almost 5.5 percent from 12,319 to

12,994, while the $1.86 million average daily on-track wagering jumped nearly 6.3

percent over the $1.75 million registered during the 2006 Spring Meet.

"Our entire team is very pleased with the on-track results from Churchill

Downs' 2007 Spring Meet, especially the growing popularity of our Friday 'Happy

Hours' promotion, which continues to draw a great mix of new fans and

experienced horseplayers to the track to kick off their weekends with twilight

racing," track President Steven Sexton said. "Our on-track events, entertainment

and promotions, coupled with the competitive fields assembled each week by our

racing office, helped us grow average daily attendance by almost 6 percent this

season, even though rain on Kentucky Oaks Day and the Thursday before caused our

Derby week attendance to fall by about 13,000 patrons year over year."

Total attendance at the Louisville, Kentucky, track fell 3.77 percent, from

702,175 in 2006 to 675,710 for this year's meet. Average daily wagering from all

sources dipped almost 3 percent, falling from $11.45 million to $11.11 million, while

the $9.25 million average daily off-track wagering was down 4.6 percent compared

to last year's number of $9.7 million.

Total on-track wagering for the meet fell 3.1 percent, from $99.75 million in

2006, which had five extra days of racing, to $96.65 million this season. Total

off-track and all-sources wagering also declined, down 13 percent and 11.5

percent, respectively. Off-track wagering totaled $481.13 million in 2007 as

compared to $552.84 million a year ago, and the all-sources wagering reached

$577.78 million this year versus $652.59 million in 2006.

"The dip in off-track wagering was due to a number of factors, including

softness in key simulcast markets, horsemen's decision not to allow our

simulcast signal into wagering outlets managed by the Choctaw Nation, and the

fact that two account-wagering services and an affiliated wagering outlet that

offers rebates were not taking bets on Churchill Downs races this spring,"

Sexton explained. "Nonetheless, we expect revenues from the account-wagering

services that are accepting wagers on Churchill Downs races to equal those we

received a year ago due to higher host fees, and that's what matters to

horsemen's purses and our bottom line.

"As our 133rd Spring Meet comes to a close, we want to extend our sincere

thanks to our customers, horsemen, sponsors, racing officials and to our

fantastic team of employees for another memorable season of racing under the

Twin Spires."

Average field size for the meet remained unchanged at 8.14 starters per race,

but average daily purses rose 0.6 percent to $486,205 as compared to $483,343

in 2006.

The highlight of the meet was STREET SENSE (Street Cry [Ire]) and Calvin

Borel's rail-skimming ride to take the Kentucky Derby (G1) on May 5. RAGS TO RICHES (A.P. Indy) and her dominating 4 1/4-length

score in the Kentucky Oaks (G1) also monopolized headlines, especially after the

chestnut miss went on to become the first filly in 102 years to win the Belmont

S. (G1).

The title of leading owner went to Maggi Moss, who garnered her first

Churchill owner's crown with 18 wins, eight more than Vinery Stable LLC and

Heiligbrodt Racing Stable, who tied for second.

"To tell you the truth, I still don't think it's hit me," said Moss, who is

an attorney from Des Moines, Iowa. "I just thought it was unbelievable to have

horses run here when we started here at Churchill. I went to school in Lexington

and everybody talks about Keeneland, but the history and the heritage to me, in

my context in Kentucky, was not Keeneland -- it was Churchill. Churchill was the

royalty. To have a horse run at Churchill was the epitome to me of being a

racehorse owner."

Julien Leparoux collected his second straight Spring Meet riding title with

70 victories. The 23-year-old native of Chantilly, France, posted a six-win day

on June 27 to easily hold Rafael Bejarano to second with 56 scores. Shaun

Bridgmohan edged Robby Albarado for third in the jockey standings by a 52-50

margin. Alonso Quinonez was the meet's leading apprentice rider with 24 wins.

Steven Asmussen earned his fourth leading trainer title while establishing a

record for total victories in the Spring Meet. The conditioner racked up 46

victories during the meet, breaking the previous record of 43 set by Dale Romans

last year.