Belmont to open Tapeta, main track for light training

The New York Racing Association on Friday announced that training, on a limited basis, will soon be permitted on both the new Tapeta surface and the main track at Belmont Park.

On June 29, the Tapeta track will be open on Mondays and Tuesdays for jogging and light galloping between 5:30 and 7 a.m. Beginning July 1, the main track will be open for jogging and galloping Wednesdays through Sundays between 5:30 and 8 a.m.

There is no designated date set for when horses will be permitted to have timed workouts on either surface. There has not been training on the main track at Belmont since Dec. 3, 2023.

The main track has been completely rebuilt and now resembles the surfaces at Saratoga’s training and main track. The Belmont main track now has a limestone base with a clay pad below the racing surface.

The limited training schedule is in place to accommodate ongoing construction of the new Belmont grandstand, which will open on Sept. 18 when racing returns to Belmont for the first time since July 2023.

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