Handle figures from its recently concluded summer meeting indicate that Del Mar's wagering protocols for computer-assisted wagering (CAW) appear to be creating a more balanced wagering pool for all horseplayers while generating additional revenue for California horsemen and women.
Handle on Del Mar's summer meet races rose to $366.8 million, a 3.1 percent increase over the prior year. Del Mar officials said the handle increase occurred after the track raised its host-fee rates on major CAW operations, in addition to the post time restrictions the track instituted in late July 2025.
"After analyzing our wagering pools and receiving public feedback, Del Mar, in partnership with the Thoroughbred Owners of California (TOC), took steps last year to limit CAW access to the win pools, effectively cutting them off at two minutes to post," said Josh Rubinstein, President of the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club. "That change addressed the late odds shifts that had frustrated many players. This year, in collaboration with the TOC, we also increased host fees for CAW operators, partly to encourage greater participation by retail bettors in our wagering pools."
CAW handle on the 2026 Del Mar summer meet decreased by 6.7 percent while non-CAW handle increased by 6.6 percent, accounting for the overall increase.
"Addressing CAW has been a major priority for California, and from the outset we believed the best path forward was to create a better balance between sophisticated wagering operations and the everyday horseplayer," said Bill Nader, President and CEO of the TOC. "These encouraging results show that we are moving in the right direction."
Del Mar officials noted that the track also benefited from competitive racing and large fields, averaging 8.6 starters per race, among the highest average field sizes in North American racing. The track's current CAW policies will remain in effect for its Bing Crosby fall meeting, November 6-29.
(Editor's Note: CAW play in California was discussed during the second half of a recent meeting of the California Horse Racing Board. Read Blood Horse's coverage of that meeting here.)
