by John Pawlak, USTA marketing director

Columbus, OH — It appears that Churchill Downs’ dispute with the Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Group, which blocked advance deposit wagering (ADW) and simulcasting of the Kentucky Derby undercard this past Saturday, was to blame for the drop in wagering on the Derby card.

Handle from all sources was down nearly two percent, while on-course attendance and wagering at Churchill Downs were 157,770 — the second-highest in history — and $24,275,864. The betting figure represented a 0.88 percent increase.

Churchill and the Kentucky-based horsemen’s group have been in a dispute over the horsemen’s share of money bet through ADW firms. Among those firms denied the right to bet on the undercard this past Saturday were Churchill’s twinspires.com and Magna Entertainment’s expressbet.com. Television Games Network (TVG) and Youbet.com were also unable to offer any Derby Day wagering, just as they were last year. Calder Racecourse in Miami, owned by Churchill Downs, was also blacked out of Derby Day wagers as part of the dispute.

“It is unfortunate that horsemen in Kentucky and Florida prevented so many fans from enjoying a full day of wagering on Churchill Downs’ races,” Churchill Downs president Steve Sexton said in a news release issued on Monday. “Had more ADW and Florida customers been given an opportunity to participate, we could have seen a record day. Despite these challenges, the Churchill Downs team put on an exceptional day.”

New Jersey was unaffected by the blackout, and the operators of The Meadowlands and Monmouth Park reported a record Derby card betting total. A record $2.94 million was wagered on the 2008 Derby simulcast at New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority racetracks, Favorites at Woodbridge and New Jersey Account Wagering.

The $2,936,959 wagered represented a 7.2 percent increase over the 2007 record of $2,740,535. A total of $1,511,842 was bet at the Meadowlands, which drew a daytime simulcast crowd of 10,795, and another $697,640 was wagered at Monmouth Park.