NYRA handle and attendance down in 2005

The New York Racing Association (NYRA) suffered slight declines in handle and attendance in 2005. Total handle fell from a daily average of $10,875,566 in

2004 to $10,414,102 last year, a dip of 3.5 percent. On-track handle dropped 4.4

percent, from a daily average of $1,341,620 in 2004 to $1,282,331 in 2005.

"This was a year when we made an integrity-driven decision to terminate

simulcast relationships with many rebate sites, which had accounted for nearly

10 percent of our handle," said Bill Nader, senior vice president of NYRA. "It

is rewarding to see that NYRA's high quality of racing was able to sustain

handle levels that are really quite impressive. To once again average over $10

million in daily handle over a 254-day season is a remarkable achievement for

our racing program."

Field size also declined last season. The average starters per race decreased

by 4.9 percent, from 8.15 in 2004 to 7.75 last year.

"It is interesting to note that the declines in handle mirrored that of field

size," Nader commented.

On-track attendance for 2005 fell 6.2 percent, from a daily average of 8,216

in 2004 to 7,703 last year. Total attendance dropped by 6.6 percent, from

2,095,156 to 1,956,555. There were 254 racing days in 2005, one less than 2004.