U.S. Thoroughbred racing continued to record weaker wagering and racing activity through August 2026, with total handle falling for the seventh time in eight months compared with the same periods last year.
Wagering on U.S. races, including worldwide commingled wagering, reached $7.56 billion during the first eight months of the year. That represented a 4.8% decrease from the $7.94 billion recorded during the comparable period in 2025.
August contributed heavily to that decline. Wagering for the month totaled $1.127 billion, down 6.43% from $1.204 billion in August 2025. The result marked the fourth consecutive month in which handle fell by at least 4% year over year.
Heat advisories and cancellations linked to high temperatures and inclement weather affected racing schedules during August, when most economic measures finished below their 2025 levels.
Racing Schedule Contracts During August
The number of U.S. race days declined alongside wagering activity. Tracks conducted 2,425 race days through August, down 2.34% from 2,483 during the first eight months of 2025.
The number of races dropped at a slightly faster rate. The industry held 19,694 races through August 2026, compared with 20,260 a year earlier, representing a 2.79% decline.
Starts fell more sharply. Horses made 141,475 starts during the period, 5.72% fewer than the 150,062 starts recorded during the same stretch of 2025. The reduction also affected average field size, which decreased 3.01% from 7.41 starters per race to 7.18.
Average wagering per race day reached $3.118 million through August, compared with $3.198 million last year. That produced a year-to-date decline of 2.53%.
August showed a steeper contraction in racing activity. Race days decreased 6.48%, from 401 in August 2025 to 375 this year. The number of races declined 6.85%, from 3,182 to 2,964.
Average field size also moved lower for the month, slipping 1.47% from 7.19 to 7.08 starters.
Despite those reductions, average wagering per race day remained almost unchanged during August. The figure increased 0.06% to $3,005,091 from $3,003,409 in the same month last year.
Purse Levels Remain Relatively Steady Year to Date
Purse figures showed considerably smaller year-to-date changes than wagering activity.
Available purses totaled approximately $841.8 million through August, representing a 0.61% decline from about $847 million in 2025. Purses paid reached $806.9 million, down 0.16% from $808.2 million during the comparable period last year.
Average available purse money per race day moved in the opposite direction. The measure rose 1.76% from $341,124 in 2025 to $347,142 this year as the industry conducted fewer race days.
August produced weaker monthly purse figures. Available purses fell 10.62% from $152.9 million in August 2025 to approximately $136.7 million this year.
Paid purses declined 8.86% during the month, falling from $145.1 million to $132.2 million. Average available purses per race day also decreased, dropping 4.42% from $381,336 to $364,486.
Fewer Starts Accompany Lower Handle
The latest figures show that racing activity contracted faster in some areas than the overall number of race days.
Through August, starts fell 5.72% while race days decreased 2.34%. The number of races declined 2.79%, contributing to the reduction in average field size.
Total wagering decreased by a larger percentage than either race days or races over the year-to-date period. At the same time, purse totals stayed comparatively close to their 2025 levels, while average available purse money per race day increased.
August reflected several of the same patterns on a more pronounced scale. Wagering declined 6.43%, while race days and the number of races each fell by more than 6%. Starts recorded an 8.22% monthly decrease.
The month nevertheless produced virtually unchanged average wagering per race day, with the 0.06% increase standing apart from declines across most other August measures.
With eight months of 2026 completed, U.S. Thoroughbred racing has recorded lower total wagering alongside fewer races and smaller fields. Purse levels have shown greater stability over the same period, although August produced a noticeable monthly reduction in both available and paid purses.
Source:
Racing economic indicators feeling summertime blues, theracingbiz.com, September 8, 2026.
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