Remington Park completed its 2015 Thoroughbred Season on Dec. 13 with a photo-finish deciding the $250,000 Springboard Mile, the final race of the year. The win, by a nose, went to Discreetness in a thriller over Suddenbreakingnews. The statistical finish for Remington Park did not have to go to a photo as total handle and purses easily defeated the 2014 numbers.
Remington Park posted another increase in total pari-mutuel handle for the 67-date season. A total of $62,475,502 was played, up $5,564,642 over the 2014 season, for an increase of 9.8%. The average daily handle on Remington Park racing was $932,470.
This is the third consecutive year that the Remington Park Thoroughbred Season has increased its total handle. The boost was due to more interest by fans and players wagering on Remington Park via simulcast. The export handle on the races from Oklahoma City was $57,966,038, an increase of $6,166,612 from 2014 which is up 11.9%.
Alterations to the Remington Park wagering menu can be noted for the growth this year. The Trifecta, Pick 3 and Pick 4 bets were all offered for a 50-cent minimum for the first time in 2015. A Pick 5 wager, also for a 50-cent minimum, was added to the betting schedule over the final two months of the season.
“We are thrilled by the wagering response for Remington Park in 2015,” said Matt Vance, vice president of operations. “We tried 50-cent minimum wagers on a regular basis for the first time in our history and they were well received. The Pick 5 came along late in the season but was also welcomed by our players. We expect these offerings, especially the Pick 5 and the Pick 4, to continue their popularity going forward.”
Remington Park, celebrating the 10th full year of also offering casino gaming as part of its entertainment package, distributed record purses for the 2015 Thoroughbred Season. A grand total of $16,896,014 was paid to competing horsemen, up 11.3% compared to the 2014 season. The daily average purses paid were $252,176, also a record for Remington Park. The daily average purses in 2014 were $226,576.
The Remington Park Thoroughbred Season in 2014 was also 67 days in length. There were 607 races conducted last year and this year. A total of 5,489 starters took part in 2015 for an average field size per race of 9.0, down slightly from 9.4 per race a year ago.
On-track wagering at Remington Park was $4,185,321, down $543,720, -11.5% compared to 2014. Wagering at Remington Park’s three off-track sites around Oklahoma City was $324,143, down $58,250 from the 2014 statistic for -15.2%.
The Thoroughbred Season Horse of the Meeting and divisional champions will be announced Wednesday, Dec. 23.
Live racing is now on hiatus at Remington Park until 2016. The American Quarter Horse Season runs 50 dates from March 11 thru June 4. The 67-date Thoroughbred Season will be contested from Aug. 12 thru Dec. 11.