Churchill spring-summer meet ends with record handle

For the third consecutive year, Churchill Downs Inc. offered record purses at its flagship racetrack in Louisville, and bettors responded with record handle.

Churchill Downs racetrack concluded its 2026 spring-summer meeting Sunday with total handle of $790,268,661, a 3.9% increase from last year's then-record total of $760,669,274 and a 13.1% increase from the 2024 total, which set a record last set in 2006 and was the last time handle did not top $700 million. Handle has more than doubled in the last 10 years.

The handle increase closely follows a similar bump in purses, which were up 5.5% this year to a record $62,814,000. Handle increases the last two years have outpaced purse increases, but for the 10-year period 2016-26, purses have nearly tripled.

"We're thrilled with the results of the spring-summer meeting and want to thank the horsemen and fans for participating and supporting," track general manager Mike Ziegler said. "The horsemen responded to our record purses with a compelling product daily, and bettors responded in kind with record handle."

Another record Churchill set this meeting was 108 turf races, marking just the fifth time it has run more than 100 races on turf during a meeting and breaking the record of 106 set in 2006, which at the time generated a record handle of $633,742,934. Handle declined 38% from 2006-16 but has increased 101.5% since 2016.

"We're really proud of the track team and its commitment to making both (turf and dirt) surfaces safe," Ziegler said.

The big numbers come despite mixed results to the start of the meeting. Churchill had record Derby week handle with one extra day after adding the Sunday after opening day to the mix. But handle on Kentucky Derby day itself was down despite a record Oaks day (night) the previous day.

Handle on Churchill races post-Derby was $643,953,910, a 1.3% increase versus the same period last year and a third consecutive record for that period. Handle has gone up at the spring-summer meeting at Churchill in 10 of the last 12 years, with the only declines coming in 2020 (Covid) and in 2023, when the back end of the meeting moved to Ellis Park for track maintenance.