Santa Anita Park officials reported 44,873 were on hand for the Southern California track’s traditional day-after-Christmas opening on Saturday, the largest opening-day attendance since 1994.
On-track handle was $3,507,248, up slightly from 2014 ($3,431,886) but the fourth lowest opening-day on-track wagering total since 1974.
This year’s on-track attendance and total wagering translates to a $78 per capita for everyone who clicked through the turnstiles.
This year’s Santa Anita opening-day per capita of $78 marks the continuation of a downward trend, according to some experts.
According to the Paulick Report, an online horse racing website, “In 2005, when opening day attracted 34,590, on-track handle was $5,880,998, a per capita of $170. Five years later, in 2010, it was down to $112. Last year’s per capita for the 40,810 attendees was $84. It’s hard to see the glass as half full through those numbers.”