Saratoga Summer by the Numbers: 1 Million Fans; $1 Billion Wagering Handle; Winningest Trainers, Jockeys, and Owners

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The New York Racing Association (NYRA) revealed the final numbers for the 2025 Saratoga Race Course Summer Meet after races concluded on Monday evening.

Over the 49 days of racing at Saratoga this summer, inclusive of the Belmont Stakes and July 4th racing festivals, wagering handle from all sources totaled more than $1 billion ($1,072,548,515) with paid attendance of 1,224,504.

All-sources handle for the 40-day summer meet was $791,129,471, including a record $49,651,341 of wagering on Whitney Day and $54,309,929 on Travers Day, the third-highest amount ever wagered on a single day in the history of the summer meet.

Saratoga Stats: 2025 vs. 2024

• All-sources handle: $791,129,471 vs. $803,806,964

• Average daily handle: $19,778,237 vs. $20,610,435

• Total on-track handle: $136,218,024 vs. $136,295,228

• Total paid attendance: 1,061,787 vs. 1,051,092

• Average daily paid attendance: 26,544 vs. 26,951

• Races off the turf: 33 vs. 45

• Total races: 420 (244 dirt and 176 turf) vs. 412 (257 dirt and 155 turf)

NYRA also announced the final tallies for the winningest trainers, jockeys, and owners during the 2025 summer meet. 

Five-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown and Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher each posted 32 wins to share the H. Allen Jerkens training title at the 40-day meeting that ran from July 10 through September 1.

“It’s really rewarding because my friends and family are here,” said Brown, who is a Saratoga County native. “It’s one of the rare times of the year between July and August I get to catch up with people I don’t see the rest of the year. It’s a lot of work. It’s my busiest time of year but I also get to see a lot of people that are important to me.

Brown earned his fifth consecutive Spa training title, his eighth overall, and his 35th title at a NYRA meeting. He posted a record of 186-32-27-31 and earnings of $4,509,878 at the meet, good for a win rate of 17.20 percent and in-the-money percentage of 48.39 percent.

Pletcher won his 15th training title at the Saratoga meet and his first training title on the NYRA circuit since taking the 2021 Aqueduct fall meet. He posted a record of 131-32-20-18 and earnings of $3,450,915, good for a win rate of 24.43 percent and in-the-money percentage of 53.44.

Linda Rice finished third in the trainer’s standings with 24 wins.

Irad Ortiz, Jr. successfully defended his title as Saratoga’s leading rider for a fourth consecutive year, after registering 59 wins to best his brother and runner-up Jose Ortiz [55 wins] and third-place Flavien Prat [42 wins]. Ortiz, Jr. earned his seventh overall Angel Cordero, Jr. riding title after clinching additional titles in 2015, 2018, 2020, and 2022-24.

Ortiz, Jr. did not ride the Spa’s Closing Day card on Sept. 1 after falling from Mindframe at the beginning of Sunday’s Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup, where he escaped serious injury and was medically cleared to continue riding.

“After this, I feel great,” Ortiz, Jr., said, with a laugh.

“It’s an exciting place,” he added, regarding Saratoga. “I think it’s the best place to ride horses and the people show so much love every single day. They support the sport so much, so I can’t be happier to be here.”

Ortiz, Jr. completed the meet with a record of 286-59-56-44 and earnings of $5,341,609, good for a win rate of 20.63 percent and in-the-money rate of 55.59 percent.

Mike Repole’s Repole Stable earned the owners’ title with 14 wins, notching their first title at a NYRA meeting since taking the 2021 Aqueduct winter meet in a tie with Michael Dubb. Repole last won the owners’ title at Saratoga from 2010-12, and was New York’s leading owner in 2009.

Repole Stable completed the meet with a 61-14-11-8 record and $1,123,270 in earnings. Klaravich Stables finished second with 11 wins while Flying P Stable was third with nine wins.