Between The Hedges: Getting A Handle On Handle Sponsored by: Racing on the turf at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y. Horseplayers can wager on as many as 77 different pools during nine-race cards at each of the New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) tracks comprising Aqueduct Racetrack, Belmont Park and Saratoga Race Course. With so many options, a handicapper must decide on which wagers to focus on, negotiating a delicate balance between risk and reward in search of the best possible payout. Over time, the betting public has settled on their favorite wagers at NYRA tracks. The most popular wagers at NYRA in 2020 – by average handle per pool – were the Empire 6 mandatory payout days [$2.8 million], the Early Pick 5 [$546K], the retail-only Late Pick 5 [$444K], and the Late Pick 4 [$429K].