The one-mile Tapeta track currently under construction at Belmont Park will become the exclusive winter racing surface on the New York Racing Association circuit when the Long Island facility reopens in 2026, NYRA announced Monday. The change will result in approximately three months of racing exclusively on an all-weather surface with the shift from dirt to the all-weather in the winter months expected to enhance equine safety and provide additional opportunities for the circuit's year-round horse population for the benefit of the state's Thoroughbred racing ecosystem.
“At its core, our vision for the new Belmont Park is centered around modernizing racing and training facilities in ways that will ensure the sport's continued success and future growth,” said Dave O'Rourke, NYRA President and CEO. “NYRA has closely tracked the evolution and application of synthetic surfaces, and the relevant data unequivocally supports a shift to the all-weather surface during the winter months.
“Together with the renovated main track and two new turf courses, Belmont Park will provide a multitude of quality options for both training and racing throughout the year,” added O'Rourke. “We will continue to work closely with New York's horsemen and breeders to ensure a smooth transition as the new facility takes shape.”
O'Rourke is chairman of the All-Weather Surfaces Committee, formed this February at the request of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA). The committee is tasked with evaluating the impact of various racing surfaces on equine injury rates, while studying the feasibility of broader adoption of all-weather surfaces nationally.
“HISA commends NYRA for prioritizing horse safety in its decision to utilize an all-weather racing surface at Belmont Park for winter racing,” said Lisa Lazarus, HISA CEO. “NYRA has shown tremendous leadership through the research and analysis it has undertaken in making these important decisions for the future of the sport.”
NYRA has invested in upgrades to a variety of racing and training facilities at Belmont Park, Aqueduct Racetrack and Saratoga Race Course in recent years, including the installation of an all-weather Tapeta surface over the Belmont Park pony track and the complete renovation of the main track and Oklahoma Training Track at Saratoga.
At Aqueduct, NYRA has renovated the main track; replaced the inner dirt with a second turf course and added a new surface to the inner turf course, all since 2017.
Following the installation of a limestone base topped by a clay pad, the dirt surfaces at Saratoga now respond exceedingly well to extreme weather, while the clay pad offers a more forgiving surface. According to The Jockey Club Equine Injury Database, the dirt surfaces at Saratoga have been the statistically safest among NYRA tracks each year since 2021.
To achieve consistency with the dirt racing and training surfaces at Saratoga, the main track at the new Belmont Park will feature a limestone base topped with a clay pad below the racing surface itself. This structure, which has proven to be effective in the wide variety of weather conditions found at Saratoga from April through November, is expected to be similarly beneficial for the main track surface at the new Belmont Park.
“The harmonization of NYRA's dirt surfaces is yet another important equine safety measure in New York,” said Andrew Offerman, NYRA Senior Vice President of Racing and Operations. “Aligning the composition of the Belmont main track with both dirt surfaces at Saratoga will further NYRA's ability to conduct world-class dirt racing in the spring, summer and fall.”
In addition to the construction of a new main track and all-weather Tapeta track, NYRA is currently renovating and expanding Belmont's Widener and Inner turf courses. As a result, both courses will feature additional running lanes, modern drainage and a state-of-the-art irrigation system serviced by a new infield irrigation pond and on-site pump station.
NYRA officials are hopeful that the improvements to both surfaces and facilities will facilitate a return of the Breeders' Cup to New York. The championship event has not been held in the state since 2005.
“We are very supportive of the Belmont Park renovation, particularly plans to put in place a world-class facility with fantastic racing surfaces that offer versatility and the ability to address various seasons and weather conditions,” said Drew Fleming, President and CEO of Breeders' Cup Limited. “As we said before, if you build it, we will come. We look forward to working with the New York Racing Association to bring the Breeders' Cup World Championships back to the Empire State when the time is right.”
In a statement released following NYRA's announcement, the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association offered the following response with NYTHA President Tina Marie Bond stating: “The feedback from the vast majority of New York's owners and trainers was clearly against being limited to synthetic racing for three months in the winter. Our horsemen and women voiced support for having the option to race on the dirt year-round, as we know that there are many horses that do not make the transition to synthetic surfaces successfully, whether they race primarily on dirt or turf. We have also been encouraged by the vastly improved safety record of dirt tracks, including at Aqueduct this past winter. I have voiced our concerns, and will continue to talk to NYTHA membership and NYRA leadership about addressing those concerns. But, ultimately, we are committed to working together with NYRA, the Gaming Commission, and our representatives in Albany to ensuring that the Thoroughbred industry in New York thrives year-round.”
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