NY Circuit to go Poly soon?
 

(Apologies if this has been reported here already but i didn't see it.)

Just got the July 21 TTimes, and there is an article (pg. 10) reporting that if Empire Racing Associates wins the NY racing contract they will go to PolyTrack on all 3 tracks, starting with Belmont...

NYRA is also contemplating a switch to Poly if they renew, their plan is to change SARATOGA over in the next 3-5 years!

Why are they doing this? it's a travesty, IMO.

If they get rid of Aqueduct and turn one of Belmont's two turf courses into poly so they can run on it in the winter I could understand that. Saratoga makes no sense though. I guess Del Mar did it though so more will follow. Owners seem to like it because it cuts down on vet bills and allows horses to run more often. I just can't imagine a day though when the Derby is run on polytrack.

I had heard Empire would make the switch if it won the franchise.. but never heard NYRA was actually considering it. I just don't see why they would make a change when there hasn't really ever been a problem to begin with.

I am starting to think once NY goes Poly, Churchill will make their plans to do so as well.

But the thought of historic Saratoga being filled with blinding white stinky rubber is outrageous. And would cost $10-$11 million to convert, according to the article.

Especially considering the problems that have surfaced with the bigger tracks that have already spent so much installing it! Give it a few years to pan out first, at least...

Why is it that this is the one item which all tracks and states are willing to latch onto?! How about uniform rules and all of the other bs that is going on in the industry!

I hope it was just confusion and that they are just considering poly at Saratoga on the Oklahoma training track. It would probably be fine at Aqueduct but absolutely no need for it at Belmont or Saratoga. I guess Belmont could probably support all three surfaces.

With the well-doumented problems on the Aqueduct main track, I think installing Polytrack there (which would give winter racing with far more options than the current inner dirt track) would make a great deal of sense.

I've also heard that there may be some consideration of installing it on the Oklahoma training track, especially with many of the past mainstays remaining in KY to train over Polytrack rather than coming to Saratoga for "off-season" training. I think it would be a while before we ever see Polytrack at either Belmont or Saratoga.

this all makes a lot more sense to me.

It certainly "makes the most sense" to do AQU, one of Belmont's inner, and the Oklahoma track... but i am telling you the Empire and NYRA proposals are for all 3 *main* tracks. UGH! I hope they come to their senses if this article is correct.

If I read the tea leaves correctly, I don't think we need to worry about anything Empire may have planned to do to NY racing.

Very sad

So when they close AQU, who will get the left over poly?

It hope it will go to the dump.:mad:

How so? IMHO, if there's been one good thing to come out of this whole mess, it's that Magna/Churchill will not be getting their paws on NY racing.

Disgusting.

Its sad to see the game I grew up loving changed because of a few english morons, and poor track management. Keeneland is mostly to blame, they were the first major track to install that crap. Of course Keeneland gets the best season to run on the poly. Turfway endured a brutal winter and lied about the track the entire way through, all the tracks have had issues with the surface eventhough its not discussed openly. WIthout getting into a big poly debate I just think its a very sad situation. Im heartsick they would even consider switching to synthetic in NY.

Post of the day.

If it happens, R.I.P. New York racing.

All I've got to say is Mountaineer and Charles Town look better and better every day.

I have to believe somebody that owns polytrack is slipping a lot of money around under the table, if you know what I mean. It probably is much like road construction contracts. Give a few dollars to the right people and then all of the sudden you are building.

Sad to say it but I bet it is 4-5 or lower that america's big tracks will be just about 100% polytrack in 10 years.

Lot of works cancelled today at Delmar because the track was rock hard. Talked to a guy there and he said it was ridiculous. Of course they say they are just working out the kinks, we will see

Just wait until the idiot talking heads at TVG start talking it up. Funny how they never mentioned previous problems when Hol had issues and TP with the clumping of the PT. Almost leads one to think they have an agenda.....

Its tragic anyone would buy into that stuff being better than a good dirt track.

There would be one big advantage to a poly/cushion at Saratoga. When the rains come - and it always happens - and the races are taken off the turf - you would see many many less scratches when the races were moved to the main.

His name is Martin Collins!

Sold interest in the Poly company to the non-profit Keeneland Association, who now have a vested interest in hocking the stuff and not discussing the negatives with the media.

it's deja vous all over again

its been very negative at Arlington other than the dramatically reduced number of catostrophic breakdowns (14 in '06 vs. 2 in '07), the increased field sizes, and the increased handle. But who cares about facts like those when instead we can just make unsubtantiated rants about people being paid under the table.

I agree, synthetic is not the answer for every track. To me Belmont and Saratoga seem fine the way they are.

I still say my idea is the best.

Close Big A

Convert training track at Belmont to poly/cushion/tapeta surface.
Build a grandstand, enclosed, for winter racing. Race on one mile Training track for November thru Mid April.
Back to Belmont Saratoga circuit for balance of year.
Expand barn area to parking lot area behind the backstretch, that lot I rarely see cars parked in(maybe two days a year?). Barn upgrades would be needed but they probably are needed anyway.

New enclosed grandstand would have two levels, "view" seating upstairs. Downstairs typical individual tables and tv's. Small track apron for those who want to go outside to yell at the jocks. Upstairs would also be clubhouse style restaurant. Make the restaurant big enough that during off racing season it can accomadate weddings and those type events, thus maximizing your building during down racing times. Perhaps also a theater style room for company usage for meetings and such.
You could make the downstairs a full simo facility, unless Nassau OTB has some sort of rights to that.
Slots will be at the main Belmont building. Slots would be closed on Belmont day and BC day when at Belmont.

This keeps the Belmont track dirt and two turfs. It gives horsemen option to train on whatever surface they want. It allows for winter racing under better conditions.
Bring back the buses in the parking lots that used to take you from the back parking lot to the gate, they can be used for the LIRR shuttle from the station to the winter grandstand building.

Money used from sale of Big A would pay for this plus plenty extra.

The only big inconvenience I see is if you have a giant crowd for Belmont or BC days. Those days will have to rely on more public transport than normal.

Not so fast, my friend. I think there is a lot of resistance in the NY legislature to closing Aqueduct, and in case you hadn't noticed lately, the Governor and the legislative leaders haven't exactly been playing nice lately.

A racino, given public transportation issues, is likely to be far more successful at Aqueduct, and I'm told that NYC leaders might oppose having the racino taken out of one of the five boroughs and placed in Nassau County. Besides, from a racing perspective (overtaxing one racing suface/turf courses, lack of stall space, non-winterized plant or racing surfaces) closing Aqueduct would be a colossal mistake, and the cost of winterizing Belmont would be enormous.

I have to agree. It really isn't necessary anymore anyway. There is no reason why they can't run at Belmont all year. I love Belmont but they really don't need two turf courses. Just make the inner course a polytrack and run on it in the winter and turn Belmont into a casino all year round. They just need to make more LIRR trips from NYC directly to Belmont but the track is already there anyway.

Hold on now. If Belmont has one turf course the condition of the turf will be compromised. With 2 turf courses the surfaces at Belmont are in great shape. I feel uneasy about trying to cram everything into just Belmont.

If they have to make any PolyCrack, I'd say make the inner dirt at the Big A. But the PolyCrack people will jump in and claim that you can't make one of them Poly; they all have to be, the paddock and walking ring have to be. They claim that their brilliant creation will be polluted by surrounding dirt. I really have no idea if any of those claims are substantiated. Sounds like propaganda to me.

Anyone see the infomercial on DelMar's polytrack? They might as well have had Tony Robbins doing the narration.