Aqueduct's inner track will become turf course

[TouchOfGrey]

We interrupt your Derby handicapping to bring you this special bulletin:

DRF | Aqueduct's inner track will become turf course

[pointman]

While this sounds good, makes sense in attracting more turf races to the Big A and I am certainly for more turf racing, this smells to me of an ulterior motive coming from the Cuomo administration to get Aqueduct prepared for a period to renovate Belmont so that Cuomo can complete his land grab of Aqueduct racetrack permanently. It is hard for me to believe that they would spend this money for about 8 weeks a year.

I hope I am wrong, but this is New York, the land of corrupt politicians. Where Cuomo has any involvement there is always an undisclosed ulterior motive and nothing can be taken at face value.

[pmayjr]

I thought the discussion was for the inner to become a synthetic/tapeta/poly track? Which I was in favor for.

Reason being: I was hoping to get all those NY-bred turfers who clearly don't like dirt out of the barns in the winter, as turfers seem to handle synthetic surfaces as good (if not better) as dirt horses too.

Even if you guys hate synthetic surfaces (many of you have continually flamed me for it in the past), I know you guys would rather play 8-9 horse synthetic races than 5 horse dirt fields.

[cakes44]

Originally Posted by pmayjr

I thought the discussion was for the inner to become a synthetic/tapeta/poly track? Which I was in favor for.

Reason being: I was hoping to get all those NY-bred turfers who clearly don't like dirt out of the barns in the winter, as turfers seem to handle synthetic surfaces as good (if not better) as dirt horses too.

Even if you guys hate synthetic surfaces (many of you have continually flamed me for it in the past), I know you guys would rather play 8-9 horses synthetic races than 5 horse dirt fields.

Yes please.

[pointman]

Originally Posted by pmayjr

I thought the discussion was for the inner to become a synthetic/tapeta/poly track? Which I was in favor for.

Reason being: I was hoping to get all those NY-bred turfers who clearly don't like dirt out of the barns in the winter, as turfers seem to handle synthetic surfaces as good (if not better) as dirt horses too.

Even if you guys hate synthetic surfaces (many of you have continually flamed me for it in the past), I know you guys would rather play 8-9 horse synthetic races than 5 horse dirt fields.

I am pretty sure that putting in a synthetic surface is much more expensive than a dirt surface, even a dirt surface that is altered for winter racing.

I seriously doubt NYRA would make that investment when Cuomo has made it pretty clear that his long term goal is to modify Belmont to accommodate winter racing so he can take the land at Aqueduct for some ridiculous project he can toot his horn in advertising that he consistently wastes NY taxpayer money with.

I too would welcome a synthetic track at the Big A.

[blackthroatedwind]

I'm a little confused....you keep saying what Cuomo wants.....you do know that NYRA has been privatized, right?

I'm not trying to be a wise guy.

[pointman]

Yes, but it is my understanding that NY State still owns the land after the State takeover a few years back. If NYRA got title to the land back, that is something that I am not aware of.

Cuomo has not made a secret of the possibility to close Aqueduct and use the land for State purposes such as a convention center. The latest talk that I have seen is possibly putting a new arena at Belmont to move the Islanders as they are clearly not staying in Brooklyn and don't seem to want to move back to the Coliseum now that they redeveloped it with less seats.

Maybe I am misguided, but it seems to me that Cuomo's plan for quite some time is to close Aqueduct which could not be done until Belmont is revamped.

If this is just a move to improve the racing and field size for NY Winter racing I highly applaud it. But I don't trust Cuomo and his long term intentions for NY Racing which I don't think he cares a wit about.

[blackthroatedwind]

Once again, NYRA has been returned to privatization. I don't know why you keep pushing an agenda that doesn't exist.

[philcski]

I'm just happy they will be able to card multiple distances in the winter. The racing secretary was really hamstrung, and the outer track is such a great track to bet.