Gulfstream Park’s Championship Meet opened Saturday with a record handle in the 19th running of the Claiming Crown.
Total handle on the 11-race program was $11.925 million, up 7 percent from last year when $11.141 was wagered on an 11-race program. Handle in 2015 was $10.362 million.
Handle on the Claiming Crown has gone up every year since Gulfstream began hosting the event in 2012. The Claiming Crown culminated Saturday with Flowers for Lisa winning the $200,000 Jewel.
The Championship Meet got off to an exciting start when Ms Peintour won the first race and returned $133. After Mended won the first Claiming Crown event for her 10th consecutive victory, Eye of a Jedi lit up the tote board in the third race with a $117.20 mutuel.
“We’re extremely pleased with the Opening Day of our Championship Meet and the Claiming Crown program,” said Gulfstream General Manager Bill Badgett. “The crowd was fantastic, the support from horsemen throughout North America was once again terrific, and we witnessed some incredible performances from our equine and human stars.
"During the Championship Meet it’s one big event after another, and we’re preparing for an historic event next weekend in the Clasico Internacional del Caribe. We can’t wait to play host to our friends in Latin America and the Caribbean with an incredible program of racing featuring 11 stakes races.”
Source: Gulfstream Park communications
