Meadows notebook: Track has slight drop in handle in 2024
By John Sacco
For the Observer-Reporter
newsroom@observer-reporter.com
According to information provided by the Meadows Standardbred Owners Association, The Meadows saw a slight (0.1 percent) increase in overall handle in 2024 compared with 2023 – $101,453,136.60 compared with $101,308,744.53 the prior year.
The North Strabane Township track saw about a 4 percent decrease in on-track handle when comparing 2024 with 2023.
In 2024, The Meadows’ on-track handle was $2,528,765 compared with $2,636,471.30 a year earlier.
In 2024, The Meadows’ on-track handle accounted for just 2.5 percent of the overall handle, down slightly from 2.6 percent of total handle in 2023.
The on-track handle is problematic, however, and attracting bettors to the track during the day makes it difficult to attract large crowds. The vast majority of The Meadows’ race cards are contested during the daytime.
“This is not unique to us,” trainer/owner Tim Twaddle said. “Look at the Meadowlands. Every track that I know that has a nighttime venue is seeing declining attendance. Our decline is escalated by the fact that we race in the daytime. The fact is the industry has been struggling for a lot of years.”
Twaddle also serves as secretary for the MSOA.
According to the United States Trotting Association, total harness racing handle from 2024 was $1.471 billion, down more than 7 percent from 2023’s total of $1.585 billion. The USTA reported those numbers are “somewhat of a function of fewer racing days in 2024 (down from 3,218 in 2023 to 3,149 in 2024), though handle dropped more than race days by an additional 5 percent.”
Making a mark
Twaddle’s daughter, Meadow, a recent Washington & Jefferson College graduate, is making her mark in the Standardbred racing industry.
One of three children of Sophia and Tim, Meadow is currently the social media coordinator for the Pennsylvania Horse Racing Association. She also writes content for Standardbred Canada and does freelance work with The MSOA. She also assists the Christian Harness Horsemen’s Association (CHHA) with its social media activities.
Meadow Twaddle was gifted a piece of her own horse, Sunflower Hanover, at Christmas. She picked the filly at the yearling Harrisburg sale.
The Twaddles typically have a barn of about 25 at The Meadows and operating that stable is a family affair.
“(Sunflower Hanover) just had a birthday. But, you know, it’s early yet and everybody who has babies say they like them,” she said. “But of all of mine, she’s been special from the beginning, so I really hope it plays out. It would make a great story.”
Back on track
The frigid cold weather and snow impacted The Meadows’ schedule last month. But things returned to normal last week.
That normal schedule includes racing Wednesday, Thursday and Friday with post time of 12:45 p.m. each day.
At the same time, qualifiers will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesdays. The qualifiers can be seen live on the Meadows Standardbred Owners Association’s Facebook page.
Note: Jeff Zidek, The Meadows’ track announcer, and harnessracing.com also contributed to this story.