Belmont Park getting lights?!
 

Blood horse article states Belmont Park could be allowed to run at night, start races post sundown and must be done by 11 p.m. (if Coumo's legislation goes through)

Its about time!!!!

BC coming back soon too?

Maybe TV channel can come back too ? :)

As someone who works during the day that would be great. Twilight racing would be perfect, say a 4 or 5 or 6 first post.

My understanding that there are other roadblocks with respect to the BC, but this is great. NBC will appreciate the ability to air big races later in the day. And Friday night racing in a metropolitan area can draw a good young crowd, as Hollywood Park showed.

I hope they get Churchill's lighting system. Those lights are great. Perfect visibility, no glare.

I hope this is all BS. I live on the West Coast, by 3PM there is no one even left to bet on Santa Anita.

East coast races are great for westerners, they finish early.

I read the article too, thought it was pretty interesting. Outside of having to invest in the lighting (pretty expensive I would think for a track that size), I for years thought there might be in issue with the harness horsemen in NY in that they traditionally have that night slot, but it looks like them asking for this might mean they figured out a way around it.

The traffic is always an issue, but something else that was might be an issue is the proximity to Manhattan and there being so many different things to do at night. Also curious to see what the simo presence would be. I do agree though, its a step in the right direction for getting the BC back, if that is what they want.

Maybe start with renting some lights to see how it does before fully investing. I for one would actually love it.

Harness has always been against TB night racing, in general, in more than a few jurisdictions.

Let's say they run a 8 race card back-timing it from 11pm you could do a 7pm or 730pm 1st post, which on the west coast is about when SA is winding down.

I for one would like that, as while I sort of like Los Al on Fri nights, I would like BEL much better.

Frankly (no pun intended), it could actually give SA an opportunity to do something cool simo-wise Friday nights for their on-track patrons.

Need I say: horsemen usually are not fond of nights...11pm finish means only a few hours rest before Sat AM duties.

Traffic on the internet where 99% are betting from is pretty similar during those hours, except when there's a flat tire, which can snarl things.

I will believe it when I see it. The decision has plusses and minuses but will racing at night beat out the casinos at Aqueduct and Yonkers for the action and bringing in 'new' customers that this game greatly needs>

FWIW, I used to love Hollywood Park's Friday nights, especially in the early summer.

Sure, it helped that I worked nearby....because NY has nothing on LA traffic on Fridays.

throw them a few 5-horse allowance races and they'll love it

If they run later, it can hurt CALI handle and increase NYRA handle, especially if NYRA decides to run with a 3:30 post. One would think the early west coast time impacts early race handle. That would be gone.

One idea I have is to create a B league of racing. Don't call it that but create a "cheaper" league. Sort of like, Finger Lakes south but run the cards at night. Normal NYRA races during the day and B league at 7 PM 1st post. Have cheap purses, real cheap and make a killing dominating the simulcast landscape at night.

Maybe build a backyard night club and attract people to the track for after hour entertainment. Bet $20 bucks, get a free drink. Bet $50 get 2 etc. People love something for nothing. Make the backyard 1 type of environment and the clubhouse a different environment. So many ways to leverage the lights.

Horsepeople don't like it? Too bad. Eat crow, like they say about the horseplayer.

maybe put it on TV? (sorry, had to.....)

Belmont racing evenings would be great for some of us on the West Coast -would definitely play more NYRA - as it is, I do not see any of the weekday races unless I go to the racebook on lunch break....which I do lol

TV? What's that? Our clients don't have TVs. There all super tech savy quick thinking young whipper snappers who wouldn't dare to watch a TV. You're way off :liar: :lol: :lol: :lol:

If they have a brain, they'd tie themselves to the NFL somehow. Show the feature race at halftime, have the NFL fans in attendance text their pick to a #. Give those winners a free day at the races (parking, admission, program and $10 of food).

That's just 1 idea. Some would call me nuts but there's so many ways to market without maybe even spending $500,000

Weekday sporting events, regardless of what sport it is, is much better held at night. People just can't get to regularly scheduled events during the work day. Many patrons would become regular Friday night players if they moved the racing to the evening.

It's a great idea, and all the tracks in the big metro areas should do it as soon as possible.

Weekdays 1st post at Longacres was timed for the end of the Boeing workday from the opening of Longacres in 1933 until the place closed in 1992, or whatever it was. Before lights were installed, they'd race every 20 minutes to beat night fall. In the summer months and after they installed lights, they raced every 30 minutes. Boeing employees were the biggest subset of Longacres patrons for the entire existence of the track, and not starting the card until a lot of them were off the clock was a great weekday strategy.