Total handle on the Breeders' Cup cards Friday-Saturday at Keeneland Race Course was $165.5 million, a 7.8% drop from $179.4 million last year, a 12.3% fall from the record $188.7 million in 2002 the last time the event was at Keeneland, and the lowest total since $160.5 million in 2020 also at Keeneland during Covid.
The 14 Breeders' Cup races themselves were off only 1.2% thanks to robust multi-race wagering pools while the eight undercard races-five on Friday and three on Saturday-dropped 28.9% versus last year thanks in part to field size woes with a four-horse field to start the card on Friday.
The event itself at Keeneland in Lexington was operationally smooth and safe, as there were no breakdowns throughout the 22 races this weekend.
"It's such an honor to host an event such as this," Keeneland President Shannon Arvin said following the Classic. "I love that we get to include this as part of fall racing in the Bluegrass. We'll miss having the event here, but hope to have it back. Keeneland and Breeders' Cup Ltd. have a shared mission of promoting the Thoroughbred."