A New Belmont Pk

[IRISHLADSTABLE]

https://www.thoroughbreddailynews.co...-belmont-park/

[ScottJ]

Originally Posted by IRISHLADSTABLE

https://www.thoroughbreddailynews.co...-belmont-park/

The biggest issue in my mind is not moving forward without Aqueduct, but how does NYRA keep the product fresh for 10 months per year at Belmont post-2026 so that Saratoga still has that feeder environment. [Context : When Roosevelt closed, Yonkers became year-round and tired. When Bowie closed, the Laurel/Pimlico circuit became tired. We need solutions to that "tired" concept, new building or not.]

Some ideas and out-of-the-box thinking about this specific issue follow.

[1] Eliminate Winter Racing Outright - Close the New York racing season in mid-December and do not reopen until mid-April. Personally, I love the winter season (at Aqueduct) however maybe there are better options than winter racing.

[2] Invest/Purchase an Auxiliary Lower Cost Venue - Perhaps a crazy idea, but what if NYRA were to buy Finger Lakes, Vernon Downs, Monticello Raceway, or another instate venue as a throughbred facility? While bucking the consolidation trend, is this investment viable for lower level races? Could such an investment be the Monday-Tuesday-Wednesday venue while "classic" NYRA offers the Friday-Saturday-Sunday menu?

[3] Partnering - This is always a tough thing for state institutions to enable, but is there an inter-state partnership available to create a reasonable circuit? This might enable a non-compete clause where "we do not race during your dates, but you do not race during ours". This requires much more thought - but it is a thought.

I might get skewered for these ideas, but I am trying to solve the "ten months at Belmont" problem. We just came off one season of this feeling at Aqueduct and even Talking Horses mentioned the time issue.

Are there other ideas out there?

[Tom]

We just got through 8 months of Aqueduct.
How'dya enjoy that?

I misread your #3 above, thought were suggesting "pandering!"

[PhantomOnTour]

I only have one objection - the installation of the synthetic track

As a figure maker, a third surface is a total hairball.
I'm skeptical that it's use will be restricted to off the turf races only, but will give NYRA the benefit of the doubt.

[Snow Chief]

I agree about the “track sore” concern. 10 months turns Belmont into Parx. While I’d be all for scrapping winter racing in NY, from what I understand that is not happening for a host of reasons. One of the primary reasons is the NY bred program needs it to operate and distribute the welfare.

[Gerard02]

I enjoyed Belmont the old way. They are going to tear down a historic building and out up a shorter one. I was out there yesterday for the first time. Things sure look different. The old picnic area is gone and the track looks closed in with the USB arena sitting right on top of it. The infield looks like a battlefield as they begin construction on the winterized track. I always sat in Section 3K, right on the finish line. Yesterday, sat in the box seats for the first time. I had a tv monitor and a place to set up my laptop and distribute all of my stuff. Four seats to myself. Well worth the $15. I’m sure with the new Belmont, I’ll see $25-35 for those same seats next season. I don’t think I’m going to like this makeover, especially when there are Islander games. The traffic is going to be worse than it is now. Getting rid of Aqueduct will isolate the casino there, also. The two go together, if you ask me.

[biggestal99]

Originally Posted by Gerard02

I enjoyed Belmont the old way. They are going to tear down a historic building and out up a shorter one. I was out there yesterday for the first time. Things sure look different. The old picnic area is gone and the track looks closed in with the USB arena sitting right on top of it. The infield looks like a battlefield as they begin construction on the winterized track. I always sat in Section 3K, right on the finish line. Yesterday, sat in the box seats for the first time. I had a tv monitor and a place to set up my laptop and distribute all of my stuff. Four seats to myself. Well worth the $15. I’m sure with the new Belmont, I’ll see $25-35 for those same seats next season. I don’t think I’m going to like this makeover, especially when there are Islander games. The traffic is going to be worse than it is now. Getting rid of Aqueduct will isolate the casino there, also. The two go together, if you ask me.

not too many day games for the islanders and the card will be well over before 7:08 puck drop.

very little overlap.

Allan

[sovereign]

Originally Posted by Gerard02

I enjoyed Belmont the old way. They are going to tear down a historic building and out up a shorter one. I was out there yesterday for the first time. Things sure look different. The old picnic area is gone and the track looks closed in with the USB arena sitting right on top of it. The infield looks like a battlefield as they begin construction on the winterized track. I always sat in Section 3K, right on the finish line. Yesterday, sat in the box seats for the first time. I had a tv monitor and a place to set up my laptop and distribute all of my stuff. Four seats to myself. Well worth the $15. I’m sure with the new Belmont, I’ll see $25-35 for those same seats next season. I don’t think I’m going to like this makeover, especially when there are Islander games. The traffic is going to be worse than it is now. Getting rid of Aqueduct will isolate the casino there, also. The two go together, if you ask me.

Man, I am going to miss the view of that giant cathedral-like monument of a grandstand through the train's window when coming in on the LIRR.

What a shame if this actually goes through.

[the little guy]

Originally Posted by sovereign

What a shame if this actually goes through.

Fortunately, for the good of racing and the future, it's already gone through and it's a gigantic positive.

[46zilzal]

Originally Posted by PhantomOnTour

I only have one objection - the installation of the synthetic track

Its safety record is unchallenged...THAT is why it is used.

[SBD400]

Silly question, I don’t go to USB, but is NYRA doing any kind of marketing to attract fans from the events there to the racetrack?

[tamaharbor]

Will anything happen to the Resorts World casino at Aqueduct?

[PhantomOnTour]

Originally Posted by 46zilzal

Its safety record is unchallenged...THAT is why it is used.

If that's the case then why aren't they replacing the current dirt surface with synthetic?
It's being used so that off the turf races don't scratch down to only a few runners.

[dilanesp]

Originally Posted by PhantomOnTour

If that's the case then why aren't they replacing the current dirt surface with synthetic?
It's being used so that off the turf races don't scratch down to only a few runners.

My guess is 30 years from now, everyone will be using synthetics, they will be designed to mimic dirt a lot more than they are now, and this whole thing will be forgotten. Just like Astroturf at first caused huge problems and huge compromises in football, but eventually the products got better and more "grass like" and now they are ubiquitous.

[castaway01]

Originally Posted by dilanesp

My guess is 30 years from now, everyone will be using synthetics, they will be designed to mimic dirt a lot more than they are now, and this whole thing will be forgotten. Just like Astroturf at first caused huge problems and huge compromises in football, but eventually the products got better and more "grass like" and now they are ubiquitous.

A dumb comparison on your part because horse racing has the opposite issue of the NFL. In general, synthetic racetracks ARE generally safer than natural dirt for horse racing, but gamblers don't like the way it changes the form of the horses and the races they bet on. Artificial turf is (still) more dangerous than grass, with 60% more injuries on turf than grass, and there were a bunch of serious injuries on the turf last year in NFL games that again led to people questioning its usage. So reality is literally the opposite of the example you gave.