A record 170,513 fans packed Churchill Downs to watch American Pharoah win Saturday's GI Kentucky Derby, according to figures released by the track Sunday. The previous record was the 165,307 who witnessed the 2012 Derby win of I'll Have Another. All-sources handle for the day was $194.3 million, an increase of 4% over the 2014 total of $186.6 million. That figure bested the previous record of $187.0 million set in 2012. All-sources wagering on the Derby itself was $137.9 million, up 7% from a year and a 4% increase over the previous record of $133.1 set in 2012. On-track wagering on the Kentucky Derby program of $23.0 million declined 2% from $23.4 million in 2014. On-track wagering on the Kentucky Derby race totaled $12.0 million, an increase of 1% over 2014's $11.9 million. Churchill Downs returned $154.3 million to bettors on the Kentucky Derby Day race program.
“The Kentucky Derby is an awe-inspiring spectacle and all of us who work here feel privileged to be a part of this experience,” said Bill Carstanjen, CEO of Churchill Downs Incorporated. “We saw continued improvement again this year and we preliminarily expect record Adjusted EBITDA with growth over last year's Kentucky Oaks and Derby week of $5.0-to-$6.5 million.”
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