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U.S. pari-mutuel wagering rises

ARCADIA, Calif., July 8 (UPI) -- The Equibase Co. LLC and the National Thoroughbred Racing Association Tuesday released their second-quarter "Thoroughbred Racing Economic Indicators."

The figures are for U.S. and Canadian pari-mutuel wagering on U.S. Thoroughbred racing in 2003, as well as for U.S. purses and race days, with comparisons to figures from 2002.

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Total wagering increased to $4,121,245,999, a growth of 2.52 percent over the same quarter last year.

Purses during the second-quarter dipped by one percent over 2002, to $285,686,811. Compared with second-quarter 2002, 32 more racing days were held, a 1.73 percent increase.

Some areas of the country were experiencing bad weather during the spring, indicating growth in pari-mutual wagering was strong at 2.5 percent.

Said NTRA Commissioner Tim Smith, "Purses, while down slightly against the comparable quarter of 2002, are actually up for the year, with a 1.13 percent rate of increase overall."

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