Handle increases sharply at Turfway Park

All-sources handle rose 61.8 percent to $198,343,642 at the 2006

Winter/Spring Meet at Turfway Park, which concluded Thursday. The all-sources

increase was fueled by a 69.4 percent jump in out-of-state handle as well as a

15 percent improvement in in-state wagering.

On-track handle was $9,039,053, an increase of 19.5 percent over the same

period in 2005.

Purses for the meet rose 16.3 percent, a direct result of the increased

wagering.

Last year, all or part of 11 racing days were canceled, most due to unsafe

track conditions. At the just-completed meet, no races were canceled despite

several days of heavy rain and a couple of snowstorms. Regardless of the

weather, the Polytrack surface was never rated anything but fast.

In 2005, the track presented 591 races over the course of the 14-week

Winter/Spring Meet. This year, the track ran 688 races in the same period with

an average of 8.3 starters per race, a 1.2 percent increase.

Last year, 14 horses suffered catastrophic breakdowns while in 2006 that number was zero. Since the Polytrack surface was

placed in service on September 7, 2005, three horses have suffered on-track

catastrophic breakdowns. During the same period in 2004-2005, 24 horses suffered

such breakdowns.

"We had three main goals for our Polytrack installation: improve safety for

the horses and riders; reduce the number of canceled days while providing a

consistent racing surface; and produce a competitive, appealing wagering product

for our patrons," Turfway Park President Robert Elliston said. "These numbers

demonstrate that we met or exceeded all of those goals."

Apprentice jockey Julien Leparoux, who began riding professionally last

August, set a new meet record with 167 wins from 529 mounts, a 32 percent win

rate. The previous record was 150, set by Rafael Bejarano in 2004. Willie

Martinez finished second in the jockey standings with 43 victories from 292

mounts.

Greg Foley captured his third straight Winter/Spring Meet trainer title with

30 winners from 114 starters. Wayne Bearden finished second with 23 winners from

54 starters.

Bearden was the meet's leading owner with 15 winners from 24 starters.

Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey finished second with 13 wins from 49 runners.

INDY ENERGY (Presidential Order) won six of seven starts at the meet.