Breeders’ Cup opens up 3.8%

On a beautiful Hallowe’en day of October 31, 2014, opening day crowds for Breeders’ Cup at Santa Anita Park execeeded last year’s attendance by 3.8% to 37,205, according to track officials. Last year’s crowd was 35,833. That’s 6,000 more than 2008, just a few hundred shy of the 2009 event, and getting closer to the 41,000 or so at Churchhill Downs in 2010 and 2011.

But the total betting handle for Friday was down double digits from last year. Friday’s $45,815,112 ($6,970,456 on-track) was down 11 percent from the 2013 figure of $51,521,146, though this year featured a smaller 10-race card with four Breeders’ Cup races compared to an 11-race card with five BC races last year. Breeders’ Cup officials indicated that total handle was consistent with its projections given one less race on the card and the change in status of the race formerly known as the Breeders’ Cup Marathon to an undercard event. A total of $3.7 million less was bet on that race this year than last when it was included in the Breeders’ Cup World Championships.

Local KNBC channel 4 news crews have been covering the event, including the following news story about the positive impact that Breeders’ Cup has on local business such as Matt Denny’s Ale House, with interviews of owner Matt McSweeny and a comment by Arcadia Chamber of Commerce CEO Scott Hettrick…

Shortly after the first day’s races ended and most people left, much-needed rains in the drought-ridden area began and continued all night until about 90-minutes before the first 10:15 a.m. post time for today’s races. That’s when the sun came out to showcase a beautiful blue sky over the big final championship day at the track that is expected to draw more than 60,000 people. Most will stay through the final race at 5:30 p.m. featuring a much-anticipated showdown between popular California Chrome and unbeaten Shared Belief. It’s expected that if one of those throughbreds wins, it will be named Horse of the Year. But there are several other entrants in the big 14-horse field that could win as well, and the overnight rain could impact the track.

Today’s TV schedule: 12:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. PT on NBCSN 5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. PT on NBC

On Thursday, The Breeders’ Cup and the NBC Sports Group announced an unprecedented 10-year media rights partnership extension that will keep the Breeders’ Cup on NBC and NBCSN through 2025. As part of the agreement, NBC and NBCSN will combine to present at least eight hours of live coverage of the Breeders’ Cup, including live primetime coverage of the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic on NBC in 2016 from Santa Anita Park near Los Angeles, and in 2017 from the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club outside San Diego. The Breeders’ Cup, Thoroughbred racing’s most prestigious global racing event, consists of 13 races held over two days, worth $26 million in purses and awards. The culminating event of the Breeders’ Cup, the Breeders’ Cup Classic, is contested at 1 ¼ miles on the main track, for 3-year-olds and older, and is often the determining race for the coveted Horse of the Year title. Over the years, 11 Breeders’ Cup Classic winners have been voted Horse of the Year.

Friday attendance history: 2014, Santa Anita – 37,205 2013, Santa Anita – 35,833 2012, Santa Anita – 34,619 2011, Churchill Downs – 40,677 2010, Churchill Downs – 41,614 2009, Santa Anita – 37,651 2008, Santa Anita – 31,257