Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Ruidoso Downs opened its 60-day meet on May 27, and the track recorded an 18-percent increase in total wagering handle over its 2010 opening weekend.
According to figures provided to Equibase, a total of $1,949,152 was wagered on Ruidoso Downs' 50 races from Friday-Monday, compared to $1,646,295 bet on 49 races during the track's four-day opening weekend last year. Ruidoso's average-per-race handle last weekend was $38,983, up 16 percent from the $33,598 average for the same period in 2010.
On track, Ruidoso Downs' opening-weekend handle totaled $1,012,517, an increase of 13 percent over the $893,694 wagered on track during the same period last season, and the out-of-state handle on the track's live races increased 27 percent, from $606,986 in 2010 to $773,510 this year.
Also, Ruidoso Downs reported an opening-day attendance of 3,042, which was 15 percent higher than the reported 2010 opening-day attendance of 2,646. The track did not report attendance figures to Equibase for Saturday, Sunday, and Monday.
Ruidoso Downs' opening-weekend racing included trials for the Ruidoso Futurity (G1) on Friday and Ruidoso Derby (G1) on Saturday, and two stakes – the 870-yard, $30,000 Fine Loom Handicap on Sunday, and the 6-furlong, $40,000 First Lady Handicap on Monday. The track's meet runs through Labor Day, September 5.