Saratoga sees records broken on Travers Day

Records were broken in both on-track and total handle at

Saratoga Race Course on Saturday afternoon, with the 144th running of the Grade

1, $1 million Travers as the centerpiece of a stellar 14-race card that included

three other graded stakes.

On a beautiful, sunny afternoon, 47,597 fans -- the largest Travers crowd since 48,894 saw Marylou Whitney's Birdstone win in 2004 -- turned

out to watch Will Take Charge nose out Moreno at the wire to capture the

"Mid-Summer Derby" in thrilling finish.

They wagered a record $9,672,249 on the card, an 11 percent

increase over last year's $8,741,773 record.

All-sources handle on Saratoga's Travers-day races was up

13 percent, year over year, to $41,363,760. Last year's tally of $36,597,173 was

eclipsed after Saturday's 12TH race.

Downstate wagering also posted significant increases, with

$612,864 wagered at the Belmont Café, up 13 percent, year over year, and

$695,266 wagered at Aqueduct, an increase of 7 percent.

The pool for the guaranteed $1 million Pick 4 topped $2

million for the first time, with $2,016,700 wagered.

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