I got this from my ChatGTP+ Horse-Racing Watch. I thought it was interesting. Can we hope other tracks will sit up and take notice?

AI Horse-Racing Watch

There is one meaningful new development this week: NYRA’s 2026 Saratoga meet finished with record wagering despite sharply reduced CAW activity.

Saratoga handled $905.4 million, up 3.5% from the comparable 2025 period, even though NYRA says computer-assisted wagering fell by roughly 29%. Earlier in the meet, retail/non-CAW wagering was running about 6–7% higher while CAW volume was down close to 30%.

That matters because one of the industry's strongest arguments against restricting CAW has been that pools would shrink materially if high-speed professional money were constrained. NYRA’s experiment is producing evidence in the other direction: limiting late CAW access can reduce CAW volume without necessarily reducing overall handle, because ordinary wagering can partially or completely replace it. NYRA President David O'Rourke said the increase in retail participation exceeded their expectations.