Hambo Handle

[The Exporter]

So, with the very limited number of live gate and going head to head with the Travers @ Saratoga, what do you think the Hambo card will handle?

[mgriffin]

$5-6 Million for the 16 race card.

[In front]

$4,375,221

[Bernie Madoff]

$4,375,221

That was my estimate too.

[Emperor Dapple]

That was my estimate too.

LOL!!

[Swingback]

$8 million plus with foreign handle.

[Brown jug]

no excuses it should be very large
everyone who complains about stiffs and no efforts should be betting large with both hands saturday
as or the travers conflict it could actually help a little , some of the punters doing saratoga might want some action in the 30 minutes between t bred races, not a lot of them i know but a few would help

[Superfecta]

So, with the very limited number of live gate and going head to head with the Travers @ Saratoga, what do you think the Hambo card will handle?

Limited number of live gate doesn't matter. Most players bet at home and that started way before covid.

[HornbyDuke]

$4,375,221

  luv the estimate. Mine was $4, 375, 221. 03

So I'm going higher.

[NJ The best]

5.3 million

[FirstUpFrom8Hole]

6.8 million dollhairs

[pocketrocketwinner]

Cant go by the tbred handles.  Harness handles have never been higher than them. So that is unfair comparison and a non factor.
That being said, the Meadowlands handle for last year was 6.5 million.
I'm going to guess $5.85 million.

Thats BS. Horse racing industry is seeing handle increases in both breeds due to COVID.

If the meadowlands does LESS than last year, the governor should  take away the supplement on the spot.

[dinkadoo]

You hate the Meadowlands. The Governor won't listen to to the likes of you.  Harness racing supports the ENTIRE state's economy and maintains open lands and employs people. Why hate the #1 harness handle track in North America? Usually 18,000-20,000 on-site attendance generates at least $500,000-$1 million handle, which won't be possible tomorrow and the Travers going head to head the same days DOES affect the betting dollar spent for Saturday.  If they can somehow top $6 million, that would be a nice day there for them, but with the other factors involved, it might not be easy.

6 mil would be a nice handle.
But the track will still lose money.

5% of $6 million = $300k.
Track will start losing money — my guess after the 6th race.
Sports book can’t wait for football to start

[pocketrocketwinner]

You hate the Meadowlands. The Governor won't listen to to the likes of you.  Harness racing supports the ENTIRE state's economy and maintains open lands and employs people. Why hate the #1 harness handle track in North America? Usually 18,000-20,000 on-site attendance generates at least $500,000-$1 million handle, which won't be possible tomorrow and the Travers going head to head the same days DOES affect the betting dollar spent for Saturday.  If they can somehow top $6 million, that would be a nice day there for them, but with the other factors involved, it might not be easy.

Totally disagree. Those who would have been onsite will bet online. That is an unrefutable fact that can be drawn from the COVID environment

The travers will do nothing but help the handle. A major race such as this traditionally brings people to their awd and the trickle down effect assists all other cards.

Of course, the meadowlands schedules race 1 at the same exact off time as the Travers card race 1. There will be drag but the fact that they didn't care to position themselves well right off the bat is a perfect example of ineptitude.

[dinkadoo]

Totally disagree. Those who would have been onsite will bet online. That is an unrefutable fact that can be drawn from the COVID environment

The travers will do nothing but help the handle. A major race such as this traditionally brings people to their awd and the trickle down effect assists all other cards.

Of course, the meadowlands schedules race 1 at the same exact off time as the Travers card race 1. There will be drag but the fact that they didn't care to position themselves well right off the bat is a perfect example of ineptitude.

Travers will help
I am at Belterra Park, sitting with bettors who know trainers that have stopped by each of the first three races. Not a single one know the Hambo is tomorrow and I'm 99.99% they won't bet a dollar on the Hambo card as a trickle down --- the only trickle down will them betting Saratoga - to Belterra and Gulfstream and learning that Lone Star is becoming a huge mid afternoon place to wager and then onto Del Mar.

There are only so many dollars to go around and wager --- Saratoga alone will out handle harness racing Saturday probably by about 2-3 times --- Saratoga did $35 million on Whitney --- probably close to that if not more ( they have five G1 stakes on the card for stronger fire power  )

Now what I do see is the Hambo hurting harness racing on Saturday night. Unless you believe that there are enough harness fans, with deep enough pockets to watch and wager for 10 hours.