Churchill Downs Boycott May be Taking Hold as Kentucky Oaks Handle Dips

This year’s Kentucky Oaks handle fell nearly 6% as revealed by Churchill Downs Saturday, making some wonder if a much publicized call to boycott Churchill Downs is starting to have some negative impact.

The company that owns Churchill Downs claims they are in the poor house.

As such wagers on Win, Place, and Show were raised from 16% takeout to 17.5% takeout in recent days, this as executive compensations were raised.

Gambling911.com’s own Thomas Somach spoke to famed trainer Roger Stein who also echoed the sentiment for a boycott.

"These greedy fucks are ruining our game," Stein told Somach.

And this may have been demonstrated with the drop in handle at Friday’s Kentucky Oaks, which featured the most dominant horse (and now champion), Untapable.

Wagering from all-sources on the full 12-race Kentucky Oaks Day race card fell 5.7 percent to $43.2 million.

The track lost some business part of the week because of a lack of a simulcasting agreement with the company that represents Nevada casinos.  Churchill Downs spokesman John Asher said the deal with the Nevada casinos was done in time for the entire Friday Kentucky Oaks Day card.

- Aaron Goldstein, Gambling911.com