Delaware Park and the state’s horsemen agreed to 81 days of live racing in 2017 despite a 2016 season that saw handle drop by ten percent.
Delaware Park concluded its 2016 meet Saturday, and there were plenty of good performances — and other surprises — during the stand.
Delaware Park racing director John Mooney spent much of last winter scouring tracks for horsemen to come to Delaware. Those efforts seem to be bearing fruit.
Total mid-Atlantic handle rose in September versus the prior month, but the average daily handle fell.
Jockey Erick Rodriguez shifted his tack to Delaware Park this year — not to find more wins but to be closer to his children. Being tied for fifth among riders doesn’t hurt, either.
Recent college grad Andre Stock is pursuing what he calls his PhD in horsemanship with one of the best profs in the game: trainer Larry Jones.
Trainer Harry Wyner — like a lot of trainers — makes his living in the claiming game. It’s not an easy place to thrive, but he and his stable are on the march.
The annual Family Fun Day hosted by Delaware Park and the Delaware Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association will benefit the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund.
Delaware Park will add an additional day of live racing October 13 to make up for a day lost to heat in August and reach 81 days of live racing for the year.
Old Harbor blazed to a Delaware Park track record in winning the Rosenberger today, while Ain’t Got Time defended his title in the Governors Day.