The FanDuel Meet at Kentucky Downs concluded Wednesday with record wagering topping $80 million for the seven-day run. Purses again set a record, reaching almost $18 million paid out to horse owners.
With $12,896,355 bet on Wednesday's closing card, total wagering on the meet reached $80,175,928, clipping Kentucky Downs' previous record of $74,088,532 over six days last year for an increase of 8 percent. A record $21,065,982 was bet on Saturday Sept. 10. The average field size was 10.61 horses, the highest since 2019.
The record wagering comes in spite of adverse weather on both weekends during the meet that began Thursday Sept. 1. The last four races on Saturday Sept. 3 had to be rescheduled. Both Sundays were significantly impacted, with the entire Sept. 4 card transferred to Monday Sept. 5 and the last nine of 11 races carded for Sept. 11 moved to Tuesday, Sept. 13.
“It was a fantastic meet, with world-class racing despite the challenges,” said Ted Nicholson, Kentucky Downs' Vice President for Racing. “Every weekend we ran, we were meteorologists. Losing both Sundays and having to shift one card to a Tuesday is not ideal. It was a testament to track superintendent Butch Lehr and the track crew how well the course held together. For us, along with our horsemen and horseplayers, to persevere and get to $80 million is huge.”
Participation was broad-based: An even 100 trainers ran at least one horse, with Mike Maker leading the way with 66 starts – more than double No. 2 Steve Asmussen's 32. Ninety-eight unique owners or ownership groups participated, highlighted by Three Diamonds Farms' 21 starters. Sixty-two jockeys rode at least one race, led by meet-leader Tyler Gaffalione (nine wins) riding 66 of 73 races.
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