Keeneland’s recently concluded 2016 Spring Meet recorded increases in overall attendance as well as on-track and all-sources wagering, as compared to last spring's event.
The track recorded its fourth-highest Spring Meet attendance, which totaled 262,197 for the 16-day season, a 4.69 percent increase from the 2015’s 15-day Spring Meet. Average daily attendance fell slightly, to 16,387 from 16,697 in 2015.
Keeneland also recorded double-digit gains in on-track and all-sources wagering, with the on-track handle of $17,974,896 surpassing last spring’s $16,142,325 by 11.35 percent. Average daily on-track handle increased by 4.39 percent, from $1,076,155 to $1,123,431. All-sources wagering, including wagering at Keeneland on imported simulcast signals, totaled $149,198,361, which was 23.4 percent higher than last year’s $120,905,615. The average daily all-sources handle for the Spring Meet rose 15.69 precent, from $8,060,374 to $9,324,898.
Keeneland also registered an all-time single-day handle record of $21,736,983 for this year’s Toyota Blue Grass Day, April 9, besting the previous record of $21,647,378 set in 2012.
“The momentum from last fall’s Breeders’ Cup carried forward to this spring and contributed to so many positives during this race meet,” Keeneland President and CEO Bill Thomason said in a release. “The loyalty of our fans and horsemen and the strong support of our corporate and media partners are very gratifying. These relationships are key to Keeneland’s success.”
The Spring Meet also marked the return of several Breeder’s Cup World Championships competitors to the track. In all, 35 horses who competed in the 2015 Breeders’ Cup at Keeneland last fall returned to race at Keeneland this spring, including four Breeders’ Cup winners: Canadian Horse of the Year Catch a Glimpse, winner of the Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1) who won the Appalachian (G3) Presented by Japan Racing Association; champion and Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) winner Tepin, winner of the Coolmore Jenny Wiley (G1); Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) winner Stopchargingmaria, second in the Madison (G1); and Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1) winner Wavell Avenue, third in the Madison.
“One of our goals in hosting the Breeders’ Cup at Keeneland was to further enhance the quality of racing during our Spring and Fall meets,” Keeneland Vice President of Racing W.B. Rogers Beasley said in the release. “It’s very rewarding to see these great champions come back to Keeneland and thrill fans once again.”