(Grand Prairie, Texas - Tuesday, November 12, 2013) - Buoyed by a renovated dirt surface, a new concert series and a record-setting simulcast Breeders' Cup weekend, Lone Star Park concluded its 16th Fall Meeting of Champions for American Quarter Horses Saturday with positive attendance and handle figures across the board.

"Our 2013 Fall Meeting of Champions was a resounding success," said President and General Manager, Scott Wells. "Our racing surface was safe and fair, which gave bettors across the country the confidence to play our races, and our on-track entertainment gave customers a reason to come see us."

Total All-Sources wagering during the 26-day Fall Meeting climbed 9.3% to $19,932,959, from last years total of $18,241,432.

Attendance totaled 83,243 for a daily average of 3,202, an 8.1% increase from 2012. On-track betting on live racing and simulcast-in climbed 7.6% to $12,968,393, and off-track export handle rose 12.5% to $6,964,566 versus $6,193,702.

Because of the gains in attendance and handle, track officials saw fit to increase purses of overnight races during the meet. An increase of over 10 percent, ranging from $300 to $800 per race went into effect on October 10.

The live racing business level increases were also matched by a surge of momentum in the simulcast-in wagering handle. Since July, simulcast-in wagering totals have increased nearly every week resulting in an 8.1% increase.

Highlights during the nine-week meeting included the introduction of the Bud Light Pura Musica Concert Series with three post-race concerts early in the season. The concerts featuring Tejano artists Eddie Gonzalez, Emilio Navaira and Michael Salgado, produced a 45% increase in attendance vs. the same three nights with no concert in 2012.

Also, the two-day simulcast of the Breeders' Cup Championships on November 1 and 2 resulted in the highest two-day attendance total for Breeders' Cup here since 2008 (the first year of two-day Breeders' Cup Championships.) All Sources Handle for the two-day period was up 19.7% from 2012 as well.

There were a total of 2,081 starters during the 26-day meeting. The total amount of purses paid was $3,347,851, for an average of $128,764 per day of live racing. The total amount of stakes purses paid during the season was $2,367,036.

Closing night, topped by the Grade 1, Texas Classic Futurity, the richest race in Texas, and Texas Classic Derby, drew a crowd of 5,007 fans, a 12.6% increase from 2012. Kates Dynasty owned by the partnership of Smith, Windham and Guthrie, trained by Michael Joiner and ridden by Salvador Martinez won the Futurity and Jody Pops Zoomer owned by Gary and Randal Kurz, trained by Toby Keeton and ridden by Luis Vivanco won the Derby.

Jockey Rodrigo Vallejo earned his first riding title at Lone Star Park with 20 wins from 98 starts. Judd Kearl won his third training title at the Grand Prairie track with 20 wins from 85 starts. His previous titles were from 2006 and 2007. The leading owner title went to Bobby D. Cox with a total of 5 wins at the meet. This was his first title.

The track record of 19.080 for 440 yards, set in 1997 during the inaugural Fall Meeting of Champions by Dashing Perfection, was broken on October 18 in the Texas Classic Derby trials by Jody Pops Zoomer with a time of 19.075. Jody Pops Zoomer went on to win the 21st running of the Derby here on November 9.

2013 Fall Meeting of Champions Business Levels:

Lone Star Park's 76-day, 2014 Spring Thoroughbred Season begins on April 10, 2014 and concludes July 12, 2014.