The Hambletonian may be deemed America's Trotting Classic, but its global significance continues to grow
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According to a release from the Meadowlands Racetrack, record European wagering helped produce the track's third-highest harness handle in history on 2011 Hambletonian Day (August 6). Total all-source wagering on the 15-race card was $8,489,496, trailing only the $8.8 million wagered in 2002 and $9 million wagered (on a 17-race card) in 2005.
International wagering was nearly $2.9 million, up from the $2.4 million which was wagered on the 2010 simulcast. The Hambletonian was part of an eight-race bundle of trotting events simulcast to the French PMU, which made the signal available to Monaco, Germany, Austria and Switzerland in addition to France. Total wagering through the French pool was $2.25 million.
The Swedish trotting association ATG simulcast the first 10 races from the Meadowlands through a separate Scandinavian pool with Norway, Denmark, Finland, Estonia and Malta. Wagering totaled $433,991. Italy also hosted a Hambletonian Day pool, which handled $202,352.
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