Winter racing at Belmont Park will be held exclusively on synthetic surfaces when the New York track reopens in 2026. The decision was made in hopes of making horses and jockeys safer and improving conditions for year-round racing on dirt and grass.
The New York Racing Association unveiled plans Monday for the future of Belmont Park’s surfaces, including a one-mile oval made of waxed sand, fiber and recycled rubber, to be known as Tapeta. Gulfstream Park in South Florida has been using Tapeta since 2021.
“The technology has evolved and the maintenance practices and the equipment that’s used to maintain it has evolved with the surfaces,” NYRA executive VP of operations and special projects Glen Kozak told The Associated Press by telephone Tuesday. “We’ve been discussing this for 10 years about what our options might be and what’s the right thing to do for racing, for the horses, for the jockeys, and to future-proof ourselves, the work for the industry with what we’re doing here.”
According to data from the Equine Injury Database, fatalities on synthetic surfaces were much lower last year: 0.97 per 1,000 starts compared to 1.13 on grass and 1.43 on dirt. The figures were even more dramatic in 2022: 0.41 compared to 0.99 and 1.44.
“NYRA has been closely monitoring the evolution and adoption of synthetic surfaces and the relevant data unequivocally supports a shift to the all-weather surface during the winter months,” President and CEO David O’Rourke said in a press release. “Together with the renovated main track and two new grass tracks, Belmont Park will provide a multitude of quality options for both training and racing year-round.”
Motor racing in the New York City area is moving to Belmont Park after a $455 billion renovation. The home of the third jewel of the Triple Crown is getting a complete makeover, including a new track, infield and grandstand.
The move to Tapeta in the winter also allows NYRA to renovate the Belmont main dirt track to spec with a limestone base to make it more suitable for spring, summer and fall racing, which otherwise would not be possible because the clay track freezes in cold temperatures. Belmont has had synthetic jogging and pony surfaces for some time, and NYRA officials are designing the new dirt track to be in keeping with the completely renovated tracks upstate at Saratoga Race Course.
One advantage of the synthetic track is the hope that, when it rains, fewer horses will be suspended if races are moved from grass. The horses will then be ridden on Tapeta, rather than sand, a surface that dampens hoofbeats and reduces the recoil that can fly into the air.
“It helps the riders, it helps the bettors,” Kozak said. “A field that stays together is certainly a lot more attractive. And for an owner and a trainer who have a horse designated for a specific date, they don’t have to worry about having to wait X number of times for that race to come back. It’s a change from what we’re looking for here at NYRA with the synthetic, but like everything else, our business is evolving.”
