Following the conclusion of its 50-day meet Sept. 15, Monmouth Park reports a continuation of upward trends at the Oceanport-based racetrack.

In a Sunday press release, Monmouth Park officials noted increases in both total and on-track handles for the fourth straight year, also pointing to the record handle on NYRA Bets Haskell Stakes Day.

Some key numbers from the summer meet include:

• Total average handle:
  • • $4.25 million, a 5.4% increase over last year’s average, $4 million
• On-track handle average:
  • • $352,939, a 3.7% increase over last year’s average, $340,257
• Total handle:
  • • $212.6 million, an increase of nearly $7 million over last year’s 51-day total handle, $205.67 million
• Overall on-track handle:
  • • $17.65 million, a slight increase from last year’s $17.35 million – despite one fewer day of live racing
• Haskell Day handle:
  • • $21.75 million, breaking the previous record set last year of $21.36 million
• Haskell Day crowd:
  • • 38,976, the largest since 2015

“It’s a testament to the owners, trainers, and the quality of racing that we were able to show an increase in handle once again,” said Dennis Drazin, chairman and CEO of Darby Development LLC, lessee and operator of Monmouth Park.

Big things ahead

The successful summer meet comes amid a number of promising developments at Monmouth Park, including the recent purse subsidy signed into law by Gov. Phil Murphy; a 16,000-square-foot Caesars trackside sportsbook project that is expected to be completed next year; and a major mixed-use redevelopment project next to the track set to begin soon.

As NJBIZ reported, that latter project, situated on 80 acres of the track property, calls for multifamily housing, hotel, retail, entertainment and youth sports facilities. JEMB, for which Morris Bailey serves as chairman of the board of, is partnering with the State of New Jersey and Darby Development/Monmouth Park.

“With everything we have on the horizon, from the state-of-the-art Caesars Sportsbook now under construction to the development that is planned for the property, the future of Monmouth Park has never been brighter,” said Drazin.