Belmont Fall officially shifted to Aqueduct

[Kasept]

Belmont fall meet moved to Aqueduct as renovations begin

David Grening | Jul 28, 2022

The 28-day Belmont Park fall meet will be run at Aqueduct as the New York Racing Association embarks on a multi-phased renovation of Belmont Park. The meet runs from Sept. 15 through Oct. 30.

The first phase involves the construction of vehicular and pedestrian tunnels that will ultimately allow fan access to the Belmont infield. Preliminary work is scheduled to begin next Wednesday, while construction and excavation will begin in earnest following training on Aug. 7. It is anticipated the project will be done in time to allow the entire 2023 Belmont Park spring/summer meet to be run at Belmont.

Following the conclusion of the 2023 Belmont spring/summer meet next July, the NYRA will commence a renovation of the main track and both turf courses. How that could impact the 2023 Belmont fall meet is uncertain.

Access to the infield also will allow NYRA to consider the installation of a new synthetic surface in the future. A synthetic surface could be used for off-the-turf races and be a winter surface if and when Aqueduct closes.

NYRA this fall is replacing the current dirt surface at its quarter-mile pony track with a synthetic one.

“This investment in the future of Belmont Park will transform our racing operations and pave the way for a broader re-imagining of the facility,” Dave O’Rourke, NYRA president and CEO, said in a press release. “The shift to Aqueduct this fall will minimize the overall impact on the racing schedule, and ensure continuity for the Belmont spring/summer meet and Belmont Stakes.”

The NYRA also has discussed plans for a new grandstand to replace the current one, though that project will require a funding mechanism – namely the floating of bonds by the New York State legislature – that is not yet in place. Moreover, plans for a new or remodeled building have yet to be announced or presented for approval.

The tunnel project will require the closure of the Belmont main track and its turf courses for training until next April. Thus, all training at Belmont will be conducted on the training track, similar as to what occurs from December through March when the horse population is lower.

The NYRA is in talks with the New York Thoroughbred Horseman’s Association [NYTHA] about keeping Saratoga’s main track open longer into the fall for training as well as some sort of undefined utilization of Aqueduct, according to Pat McKenna, NYRA’s vice president of communications.

Horsemen have expressed concerns about overuse of and overcrowding at the Belmont training track as it will be the sole option for training downstate during the fall and into the winter.

Trainer Chad Brown said he hopes the NYRA considers opening Aqueduct for training “to ease the amount of pressure on the training track” and to prevent horses from potential injury or other setbacks that cost horses time and the racing office entries.

“I can tell you if the traffic goes up on a racetrack training and there’s less clean, harrowed surfaces to do your speed work on and such or even just to train, you’re going to have an uptick in setbacks and stoppages on a certain percentage of horses,” Brown said. “I think it would be wise to at least consider opening Aqueduct for training as this goes on. My guess would be the expense would be worth it to maintain an adequate number of entries.”

Trainer Christophe Clement is one who almost exclusively trains on Belmont’s main track when it’s open.

“It’s going to be easy for me to adapt to run at Aqueduct, it’s not going to be easy for me to adapt to training just on the training track and losing the main track,” Clement said. “I always valued training on the main track as being an amazing luxury in New York we won’t have anymore. I guess I will have to adapt. It’s very annoying for me.”

NYRA announced it will offer significant purse increases to overnight races with a particular focus on adding value to conditions impacting the broadest group of owners and trainers. Open allowance races will be run for six-figure purses, while all claiming categories, New York-bred, and maiden races will have purse enhancements.

Additionally, NYRA will offer a bonus program that will pay $500 to the owner and $500 to the trainer of any horse finishing worse than third in the horse’s first start at the Belmont at Aqueduct meet, provided the most recent start for that horse came during the 2022 Saratoga meet. Stakes races do not quality for that bonus.

During the Belmont at Aqueduct meet, 41 stakes worth $9.925 million will be offered. Last fall, there were 47 stakes worth $11.15 million at Belmont.

Among the six stakes cut were the $300,0000 Grand Prix American Jockey Club at 1 5/8 miles on dirt; the $150,000 Zagora and $100,000 Point of Entry, for females and males, respectively, at 1 1/2 miles on turf; and the Allied Forces, Christiecat, and Oyster Bay, all $100,000 turf sprints.

The Grade 3 Waya for females 3-years-old and up going 1 3/8 miles on turf and the Grade 2 Hill Prince for 3-year-old males at 1 1/8 miles on turf, each received purse cuts of $100,000. The Waya will now be $200,000, and the Hill Prince $300,000. The Grade 3 Noble Damsel, a mile turf race for females, is worth $150,000, a cut of $50,000 from last year.

Three of the eight stakes on New York Showcase Day – the Empire Classic, Sleepy Hollow, and Maid of the Mist – each received $50,000 purse cuts. Three other stakes received $25,000 purse cuts, while five overnight stakes received $20,000 purse increases.

Some notable changes to the stakes program include the Grade 2, $300,000 Kelso Handicap, a one-mile dirt race, being moved from late September to Oct. 29. The Bold Ruler, also on Oct. 29, has been shortened from seven to six furlongs.

The Vosburgh, a Win and You’re In race for the Breeders’ Cup Sprint, is now a seven-furlong race, lengthened from six furlongs. The BC Sprint is six furlongs.

Thirteen of the 23 graded stakes will be offered during the first two weekends of October. The Woodward and Champagne – both Grade 1s – highlight a four-stakes card Oct. 1, while the Grade 1 Frizette for 2-year-old fillies headlines a three-stakes program on Oct. 2.

The Grade 1 Joe Hirsch on turf at 1 1/2 miles will be run Oct. 8 along with Grade 2 Vosburgh and Grade 3 Matron. The Oct. 9 card includes the Grade 2 Beldame, Grade 3 Futurity, and Grade 3 Knickerbocker.

[ironprospect]

to your corners

marquis of queenbury rules

ding ding

[ironprospect]

i need justification for tunnel. and definative cost benefit ratios for one day a year perhaps what once every four years when the triple crown is in play. otherwise its a lot of trouble and money for picnicers. it was hard to watch a race from the stands, why would you watch from the infield?

as to rebuilding the courses. i agree. the science of racetrack management has gone from the dark ages to a somewhat enlighten age in the span of the last revamp.

as to the grand stand, it was a long time ago and any day not a saturday was a vast canyon. goes back to the one day every four years and to actually state your aqueduct plans out loud. long, long time ago

[ironprospect]

read the rules for the travers bankroll builder on the nyrabets promo calender. now thats stupid..

MUST BET EXACTLY $50. bet 51 and no credit and i thought i was safe from tvg

[freddymo]

Horses are going to need to train at Aqueduct. Reopen the stables or shuttle 200 horses a day?

I love the idea of a renovated Belmont, even if it takes 3 to 4 years to complete. Assuming they will sell Aqueduct at some point to fund the Belmont project in part?

Now, if they could figure out a way for me to drive 45 miles in less than two and a half hours, that would be awesome.

I am sure Steve will have the NYRA team on air to sort out the details