Belmont Park is adding a synthetic track for 2024 meet
 

Why?
 

It's hard enough to beat this game and is one reason I don't bet Gulfstream anymore

https://cdn.bloodhorse.com/daily-app...?c=-2037000053

Interesting NYRA article on page 4 of today's Blood Horse Daily pdf.
They're trying to keep the AQU with future stipulations... something along the lines of affordable housing agreements baked into any future real estate development.

More or less, politicians being politicans... There's without a question speed bumps in the future.

Do horseplayers want this and will be eager to bet it? None that I talk to.

Have the NY horseman been clamoring for this? I genuinely don’t know the answer to this. I know the Kentucky horsemen will keep their horses at Turfway for the winter and i still see the top NY turf trainers shipping their horses to FLA for the winter.

Do the politicians and activists insist on a synthetic surface? I’m sure they did although I can’t confirm.

Will NYRA will go the way of gulfstream and say they’ll only card these races in the spring/fall in off the turf scenarios and then reverse course? We’ll see.

Yuck.

No one despises NYRA more than me. But this is an EXTRA track. They can train on it; they can use it for off the turf; and they can card the odd race. I get Gulfstream synth is somewhat funky and has been overused, but if you hate synth - and I don’t - I don’t think you have to worry.

Jessica is sounding better every day.

It's for off the turf races ( to preserve field size ) and to be used along with dirt in the Winter only.

[QUOTE=kyle r;2864276] But this is an EXTRA track. They can train on it; they can use it for off the turf; and they can card the odd race.

And of course, use it for winter racing, which means cheaper turf horses get to race more.

the Woodbine experience (holding up in all weather and a decrease in catastrophic breakdowns) I suggest went a long way toward this decision...GGF and Presque Isle as well.

One thing it takes getting used to is how QUIET it is.

It never changed a thing when Woodbine shifted from the crappy/dirty Polytrack and it has MADE NO DIFFERENCE...I won their first race on Tapeta.

I'm in favor of whatever keeps everyone safe if that's the reason. But, for the uninitiated, is there a reason why running on the dirt in cold or wet weather in winter is less safe than artificial?

:faint:

What do they say about "good intentions"?

We don't know yet what the demand, field sizes, and handle will be like once it's all in place. But I can envision a scenario where the business dictates running some synth races in the spring/summer/fall in good weather because trainers have some horses that prefer it or adding a few synth races fills the races better or there's been a lot of rain recently and the synth handled it better or some things I'm not smart enough to think of.

If that's what happens it makes for more complex handicapping.

There will be a few extra surface switches.

It makes bias determination even tougher because there could be some days with a few races on dirt, 1-2 on synth, and a couple each on the inner and outer turf.

Figure makers will also have a tougher time.

I guess that's all fine if you like betting synth, want the added complexity, or are a horseman that wants the extra option, but I think some people are not going to like it and not bet on it, especially if they don't stick to the plan of just off the turf for the non winter months.

It will
 

It will be very quiet on my TV! :lol: