NYRA Eyeing Night Racing at Belmont

[Andy Asaro]

http://www.thoroughbreddailynews.com...ng-at-belmont/

Excerpt:

The New York Racing Association is working to have racing regulations changed so that it can begin to conduct racing at night at Belmont Park on a limited basis. According to NYRA President and CEO Chris Kay, a bill was passed last week in the New York Senate that would allow Belmont to race at night two days a week. The bill has not yet reached the New York State Assembly.

[dilanesp]

That's a great idea. Hollywood Park was basically saved for a couple of decades by Friday nights, and Churchill is helped by lights too.

Plus they could move a Belmont with a TC attempt into prime time and get a gargantuan TV rating, and lights would also be useful if they ever sought a BC again.

[Bullet Plane]

Good grief!

Who the hell watches night racing?

Drunks and the gambling addicted?

I won't be watching at night.

A good way to turn ghost town into super duper ghost town.

[ReplayRandall]

Originally Posted by Bullet Plane

Good grief!

Who the hell watches night racing?

Drunks and the gambling addicted?

I won't be watching at night.

A good way to turn ghost town into super duper ghost town.

If it's marketed correctly, targeted to the younger working population of 21-35, also providing childcare if needed, might be just what Belmont needs to bring new blood into the sport....

[GMB@BP]

Originally Posted by Bullet Plane

Good grief!

Who the hell watches night racing?

people with jobs maybe?

[Elliott Sidewater]

Won't it cost a mint to light a mile and a half course and two turf courses? I guess in a pinch they could mount a searchlight on the roof and have a brave soul training it on the field as they race..........or, if you've ever watched the Latin American Racing Channel and seen the night races there, who says you need lights to race at night? A few scattered incandescents here and there and bright silks do the job just fine, so relax be happy, every 10 seconds or so you'll see horses instead of shadows. And hear race announcers whose staccato calls in Spanish are more interesting than intelligible. Actually, they're terrific, can you imagine our announcers trying to call a 15 horse field they can't see racing 5 furlongs in nearly pitch dark conditions?

The irony is that as fast as the race calls are delivered, it often takes 10-15 minutes for the race to be declared official, longer if it's a stakes race. A Chilean stakes race OFFICIAL sign earlier this year was delayed for over 30 minutes while the winning connections were serenaded by a Mariachi band.

[thaskalos]

Originally Posted by Elliott Sidewater

Won't it cost a mint to light a mile and a half course and two turf courses? I guess in a pinch they could mount a searchlight on the roof and have a brave soul training it on the field as they race..........or, if you've ever watched the Latin American Racing Channel and seen the night races there, who says you need lights to race at night? A few scattered incandescents here and there and bright silks do the job just fine, so relax be happy, every 10 seconds or so you'll see horses instead of shadows. And hear race announcers whose staccato calls in Spanish are more interesting than intelligible. Actually, they're terrific, can you imagine our announcers trying to call a 15 horse field they can't see racing 5 furlongs in nearly pitch dark conditions?

The irony is that as fast as the race calls are delivered, it often takes 10-15 minutes for the race to be declared official, longer if it's a stakes race. A Chilean stakes race OFFICIAL sign earlier this year was delayed for over 30 minutes while the winning connections were serenaded by a Mariachi band.

Elliott...what can we do to entice you to post more often?

[CincyHorseplayer]

I like it. Nights on Wed-Thur and day Fri-Sun. That works.

[Elliott Sidewater]

Originally Posted by thaskalos

Elliott...what can we do to entice you to post more often?

Honestly, nothing, I only post when I think I have something to say that may be worth reading, and that doesn't occur all that often.

But thanks, I really enjoy this forum and on occasion I try to show my appreciation in a small way.

[ReplayRandall]

Originally Posted by CincyHorseplayer

I like it. Nights on Wed-Thur and day Fri-Sun. That works.

I agree, as I posted the following a few months ago in a different thread.

Originally Posted by ReplayRandall

Horse racing needs to reinvent it's "daily" game to new fans, starting with implementing night racing EVERYWHERE on weekdays, in the same manner that Baseball reinvented itself by putting the game under the lights decades ago.

[usedtolovetvg]

Not sure about that. How good would it be to be head to head against Yankees, Mets, Nets, Knicks, Rangers, Islanders? Your race fans, especially in New York, are hard core sports fans, as well.

[dilanesp]

Originally Posted by usedtolovetvg

Not sure about that. How good would it be to be head to head against Yankees, Mets, Nets, Knicks, Rangers, Islanders? Your race fans, especially in New York, are hard core sports fans, as well.

Belmont has to do something. NYRA has excellent product, and Belmont's live attendance is an embarrassment. Noght racing has worked in other markets.

[usedtolovetvg]

I agree that NYRA has to do something and there certainly has been changes recently. I am just not sure that in that particular market night racing is the answer. Amazon and Netflix have proven just how effective a powerful online presence can be. I have always felt that racing was slow to that party. I don't just mean taking bets, but a meaningful online experience.

[BELMONT 6-6-09]

I do believe from a business stand point it is a good idea to implement the night racing for a couple of nights a week. This would help bring out the younger crowd as has been stated previously on this site.

If this plan does go through I would like to see an early start of 6PM so the last race on the card ends at a decent hour so the spectators and track and back stretch workers have a chance to get some sleep as the horses still need the early morning care. As we can see their are plusses and minuses with this move, however, it has been positive when tried at other tracks.

[therussmeister]

The problem I would have with Belmont nights is I play three tracks at a time. Belmont paired with Penn and Mountaineer = not interested.