Pari-mutuel handle on United States races for the first half of 2026 is down 4.52%, but purse numbers enjoyed a small amount of improvement despite the wagering decline.
According to Thoroughbred Racing Economic Indicators released July 6 by Equibase for the month of June, second quarter, and first six months of 2026, handle on U.S. racing declined—matching a four-year trend—but purse numbers improved. For the year to date, U.S. races offered available purses of $596,752,259, up 1.24% from the first six months of 2025; and paid purses reached $570,041,711, up 1.41% compared with the first half of 2025.
Those improved purse numbers are encouraging, considering that for the full year of 2025, U.S. purses declined 2.4% to about $1.28 billion when compared with 2024. Those higher purse numbers for the first six months of 2026 have occurred despite a 2.16% decline in both race days to 1,675 and total races to 13,869. With fewer racing opportunities, the increase in purses is even more impressive. The average available purses per race day were up 3.47% to $356,270.
The news is not as good on the wagering side, where the handle decline for the first half of the year outpaced the decline in racing. Besides the decline in overall wagering on U.S. races, the average wagering per race day was off 2.41% to $3,298,243.
Of further concern, despite the decline in race days and total races, average field size is down 3.75% this year to 7.26. The number of starts is off 5.83% to 100,681.
The second-quarter numbers showed similar trends to the first six months, with a 2.54% decline in wagering on U.S. races and a 3.7% gain in purses paid.
| Thoroughbred Racing Economic Indicators | |||
| For June/Second Quarter 2026 | |||
| June 2026 vs. June 2025 | |||
| Indicator | June 2026 | June 2025 | % Change |
| Wagering on U.S. Races* | $911,860,943 | $956,841,252 | -4.70% |
| U.S. Purses (Available) | $117,737,891 | $114,593,051 | +2.74% |
| U.S. Purses (Paid) | $113,832,195 | $110,279,673 | +3.22% |
| U.S. Race Days | 374 | 380 | -1.58% |
| U.S. Races | 2,948 | 2,964 | -0.54% |
| U.S. Starts | 20,249 | 20,923 | -3.22% |
| Average Field Size | 6.87 | 7.06 | -2.70% |
| Average Wagering Per Race Day | $2,438,131 | $2,518,003 | -3.17% |
| Average Available Purses Per Race Day | $314,807 | $301,561 | +4.39% |
| 2nd QTR 2026 vs. 2nd QTR 2025 | |||
| Indicator | 2nd QTR 2026 | 2nd QTR 2025 | % Change |
| Wagering on U.S. Races* | $3,197,641,353 | $3,280,921,802 | -2.54% |
| U.S. Purses (Available) | $340,661,621 | $329,119,590 | +3.51% |
| U.S. Purses (Paid) | $327,791,985 | $316,087,640 | +3.70% |
| U.S. Race Days | 978 | 997 | -1.91% |
| U.S. Races | 7,897 | 8,004 | -1.34% |
| U.S. Starts | 55,329 | 57,964 | -4.55% |
| Average Field Size | 7.01 | 7.24 | -3.25% |
| Average Wagering Per Race Day | $3,269,572 | $3,290,794 | -0.64% |
| Average Available Purses Per Race Day | $348,325 | $330,110 | +5.52% |
| YTD 2026 vs.YTD 2025 | |||
| Indicator | YTD 2026 | YTD 2025 | % Change |
| Wagering on U.S. Races* | $5,524,557,601 | $5,785,969,859 | -4.52% |
| U.S. Purses (Available) | $596,752,259 | $589,471,370 | +1.24% |
| U.S. Purses (Paid) | $570,041,711 | $562,132,144 | +1.41% |
| U.S. Race Days | 1,675 | 1,712 | -2.16% |
| U.S. Races | 13,869 | 14,175 | -2.16% |
| U.S. Starts | 100,681 | 106,916 | -5.83% |
| Average Field Size | 7.26 | 7.54 | -3.75% |
| Average Wagering Per Race Day | $3,298,243 | $3,379,655 | -2.41% |
| Average Available Purses Per Race Day | $356,270 | $344,317 | +3.47% |
| * Includes worldwide commingled wagering on U.S. races. |
