Remember in the January article in the Tampa Bay Times/Miami Herald when Mary Ellen Klas and Jeremy Wallace brutalized thoroughbred racing and felt compelled to add near the end of a long dissertation, "And there's one other thing nobody is talking about, slots are declining, too?" Well, Florida's fiscal year ended recently and proved once again that they know not what they speak.

    The total amount of play at South Florida's eight racinos has slowly edged upwards since Gulfstream Park became the first of its kind to begin operations in November of 2006. In the fiscal year from July 1, 2014 to June 30, 2015, a record $7,979,515,006 was dumped into some 7,000 to 8,000 machines available for play. In the recently-ended fiscal year, that number jumped to $8,237,416,807. For the sake of those who are mathematically challenged, the second number is about $257 million more than the first. And for the benefit of the Klas/Wallace combo, it means slots are not declining, too.

    Last year, the facilities combined for a net slots revenue of $521,670,974, with $182,584,841 going to the state for taxes in return for all the wonderful work the people in Tallahassee do for the pari-mutuel industry. This year, those numbers climbed to $537,077,173 and $187,977,011.

    Pompano Park continues to lead the league by a mile, with $1,854,138,727 in play, and revenue of $143,082,238. With $50,078,783 subtracted for taxes, the harness track wound up with a cool $93 million or so to do whatever it is one does with $93 million. Pompano's bottom line is aided greatly by its outrageous takeout rate of 9.02%, eclipsed in the south only by the 9.11% raked in by Churchill Downs/Calder. That rate is responsible for the fact that Calder ranks only fifth among the eight racinos in total play, yet comes in third with net revenue of $74,820,811 before taxes.

    Flagler dogs has the lowest takeout rate of all - 6.13% - yet was second in total play with $1,400,210,746 and revenue of more than $83 million.

    Hialeah Park's John Brunetti is doing well, too, and he needs it due to all the money he is losing on the quarter horse meetings. Hialeah has one of the best takeout rates - 6.51% - and its net revenue is $68,311,309. After taxes, John has about $44 million to help him try to lure thoroughbred racing back to the Flamingo track. And wouldn't it be nice if Gulfstream let John have the two-month Calder period for a boutique meeting while they allow the Hallandale Beach track to recover from the previous 10 months of pounding on both dirt and turf.

    Gulfstream is in sixth place in both categories, with just under $800 million in play and $48,035,102 in revenue. With $16,812,286 going to the state, there's $31.2 million left for purses and the like. 

       

    

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