Hastings season wrap-up · 5.10.11

The 2011 Hastings racing season came to an end this past Sunday. From all accounts the final weekend (dubbed UHC or “Ultimate Horseracing Championship” due to the number of stakes races that presumably would determine year-end honours) was a huge success. According to Railbird Corner the Sunday handle was nearly double compared to closing day in 2010, and average field size was 9.64 horse per race (compared to the season’s average of 7.22 according to BC Horse Racing).

After a slow start early in the season — due to the Canucks’ play-off run diverting attention from the racing product and incredibly poor weather keeping many punters away — attendance and handle numbers surged through the summer. Overall, total handle showed about a 4% increase compared to 2010, after being way down by approximately 17% through the end of June. Unfortunately, on-track handle for the season was down 6.5%, and the daily average down 3.8 percent compared to last year. The average field size for the year (noted above) also showed a decrease from 7.57 horses per race in 2010. But the total season’s handle, strong second-half numbers, and successful BC Derby and “UHC” festival days to finish the year give reasons for optimism.

Unfortunately, as happened so often during the year I was unable to attend either of the final two days. For various reasons, through the season I was only able to make it to the track on a few Friday evenings. It’s great that Fridays are being touted by Hastings management as a way of getting more (and younger) people to the races. But it would be nice to have some higher-quality races scheduled, instead of the cheap claimers and and faux-quarter-horse 3.5f dashes that dominated those cards. And it would be nice if the family picnic area and playground that used to be near the top of the stretch — dismantled last year to make way for construction of the new daycare centre — could be restored for 2012.

More year-end summaries, in addition to those noted above, are at Off Track Blogging, DRF, Blood-Horse, and the Hastings website itself.

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