Belmont tunnel

A first-turn seating expansion at Saratoga Race Course and the addition of a 400-foot long infield horse tunnel at Belmont Park were among the improvement projects floated by New York Racing Association (NYRA) executives on Thursday. Three new backstretch dormitories at Saratoga are also on NYRA's to-do list, according to a preview of possible 2023 projects discussed at the Sep. 1 Franchise Oversight Board (FOB) meeting. The FOB represents the interests of NYRA's state-owned properties, and that board still must formally approve the projects if and when NYRA submits a...

The construction of vehicle and pedestrian tunnels that cut underneath all three racing surfaces at Belmont Park could necessitate running the 2022 autumn meeting at Aqueduct Racetrack, New York Racing Association (NYRA) executives disclosed Friday. Such a tunnel system giving greater access to Belmont's 55-acre infield could also be the first step in an eventual addition of a synthetic racing surface to Belmont. Separately, NYRA has plans to rebuild a historic clubhouse turn chute at Saratoga Race Course that will allow one-mile dirt races to be run at the Spa...