Fans allowed to attend upcoming Aqueduct meet

Fans will be permitted to attend the races at Aqueduct when that meet opens Nov. 11, the New York Racing Association announced Thursday.

Though the first floor at Aqueduct will remain a COVID-19 vaccination site, its footprint will be reduced and consolidated, enabling NYRA to open up to the public.

Located in Queens, Aqueduct falls under the rules and regulations for New York City, which requires proof of COVID vaccination to enter the track. Horsemen and their employees are also required to be vaccinated. Fans, horsemen, employees and vendors must demonstrate proof of having at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

NYRA will accept the CDC vaccination card or the New York State Excelsior pass as proof of vaccination.

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Aqueduct has been closed to fans since March 8, 2020. NYRA operated March 13-15, 2020 without fans and with limited personnel before the remainder of the winter meet and the entire spring meet that year was canceled due to COVID.

Aqueduct conducted its 2020 fall meet and 2020-21 winter and spring meets with limited owners allowed on track, but no fans. In early 2021, when vaccines were first introduced, Aqueduct was one of the more heavily trafficked vaccination sites, with more than 300,000 shots having been administered there.

Those seeking the initial vaccine dose or a booster shot can do so on a walk-in basis at Aqueduct.

“We are proud to partner with New York State so that so many New Yorkers can easily access these incredibly important vaccines at Aqueduct,” NYRA president and CEO Dave O’Rourke said in a release. “NYRA would also like to thank our loyal fans for their patience as we worked to bring them back to the Big A.”

Aqueduct was originally scheduled to open next Friday, but before NYRA was given approval to allow fans, it had announced that the Belmont meet would be extended by one week to allow fans to watch and wager there on the Breeders’ Cup, held next Friday and Saturday at Del Mar. Belmont is scheduled to remain open until the final Breeders’ Cup race is run.

Admission to Aqueduct will be free. First post during the Aqueduct fall meet will be 12:30 p.m.