Remington Park's total handle falls 3.8% in 2023 meet

Remington Park reported lower pari-mutuel handle for its 2023 Thoroughbred season. 

A total of $82,494,143 was bet on Remington Park during the 67-date season, down 3.8 percent from the 2023 total of $85,761,277.

Export handle from outside Remington Park provided the largest portion of the handle at $79,426,201. That is a 3.7 percent decrease from the 2022 export handle total of $82,494,002.

Remington Park controlled handle, on-track and one off-track site, was $3,067,942, down 6 percent from a year ago when $3,267,225 was played.

Remington Park contested 605 races this season, five more than in 2022. Despite the slight increase in total races the number of turf events was significantly lower. The turf course held up beautifully from the opening of the season on Aug. 18 until the final race over the lawn on Nov. 11. But only 92 races were run over the turf this season compared to 108 a year ago. The races were forced off the turf because of rain or the course being too damp on 10 of the possible 48 race dates when it was scheduled to be used.

The total purses for the season of $15,847,215 produced a daily average of $236,525. A total of 4,767 horses competed in the 605 events for an average field size per race of 7.9.

Highlights of the meet included Otto the Conqueror winning a nearly race-long battle with Glengarry to win the $300,000 Springboard Mile, earning 10 qualifying points for the 2024 Kentucky Derby.

Remington Park also enjoyed a record pari-mutuel handle day on Sept. 24, when a 10-race card produced wagering of $4,128,147. That card was headlined by the Grade 3 Oklahoma Derby won by How Did He Do That in a three-way nose photo.