NYRA approved to install synthetic surface at Belmont
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A state regulatory board with oversight powers over the New York Racing Association on Wednesday approved a list of capital projects that includes the installation of a synthetic track at Belmont Park and the replacement of the structure holding the saddling stalls at Saratoga Race Course.
The Franchise Oversight Board gave its approval to an overall capital projects wish-list for NYRA, which also included the construction of new dorms at both Belmont and Saratoga and new hospitality areas at Saratoga. While NYRA is not required to complete the projects, the approval of the board is necessary for NYRA to move forward.
Still, NYRA said in a release issued after the board meeting that it plans to go ahead with the installation of the one-mile synthetic track at Belmont, which will be located within the three existing racing surfaces already at the facility. The project, which will be started following the completion of the Belmont spring/summer meet in July, will also include the widening of the inner turf course and renovations to the outer turf course and the dirt main track.
“The time is right to add this option for use during both training and racing,” said Glen Kozak, NYRA’s senior vice president of operations and capital projects, in the release. Kozak had earlier briefed the Franchise Oversight Board on NYRA’s experience with maintaining an artificial surface the association laid over the pony track at Belmont in December, telling the board that the association had “gathered valuable data on maintenance of the surface.”
David O’Rourke, NYRA’s chief executive officer, told the board that NYRA plans to write races for the artificial surface during the winter months, provided that racing is consolidated at Belmont Park under a plan sought by NYRA to use a state loan to rebuild the track. In the spring, O’Rourke said, the synthetic track would only be used in the event that weather or wear-and-tear forces races off the turf. NYRA is also planning to renovate its existing main dirt racing surface to make it more amenable to winter racing.
Synthetic tracks are in use at a number of racetracks, as either the primary racing surface, such as at Turfway Park, Woodbine, or Presque Isle Downs, or as an alternate surface for off-the-turf races, such as at Gulfstream Park. Horsemen are generally far more willing to keep horses in races when they are switched off the turf to synthetic tracks rather than to dirt tracks.
The new structure in the Saratoga saddling paddock would replace the tent-like structure that currently houses the saddling stalls. Kozak told the board that NYRA has not yet settled on a design, but that the new structure would be “more of a permanent structure” that would provide more space for people and horses when there is rain at the track.
The structure will also be designed to minimize noise coming from behind the stalls, where pedestrians and cars stream past nearly constantly during a race day. In addition, rubberized paving bricks will be installed in the walking rings in the saddling area, Kozak said.
NYRA officials also received approval to add units to the “Spa Verandas” that opened recently at the top of the stretch, as well as an okay to build a new “hospitality area” adjacent to the Wilson Chute, which was first used last year to allow for one-mile races at the track. Construction on those projects will start after the Saratoga meet this summer, according to the officials, if NYRA decides to pursue them.
NYRA also announced on Wednesday that there will no longer be separate pricing for grandstand and clubhouse admission to Saratoga. Instead, the whole facility will be open to all attendees, eliminating a number of staffed exchange posts and bottlenecks within the facility. Pre-paid general admission will be $7 when purchased 24 hours ahead of time, while walk-up prices will be $10. Currently, it costs $7 at all times for grandstand admission, and $10 at all times for Clubhouse admission.
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