Belmont Park’s Tapeta Track Open For Training
As the transformation of Belmont Park continues to move toward its long-awaited completion, another important milestone has been reached with the opening of the facility’s new Tapeta training surface.
The New York Racing Association officially began limited training on the one-mile Tapeta course Monday, marking the first opportunity for horsemen to utilize one of the signature features of the reimagined Belmont Park. The synthetic surface is currently available for light galloping and jogging on Mondays and Tuesdays from 5:30 a.m. until 7 a.m., with operations coordinated around the ongoing construction project.
Attention will soon shift to Belmont’s rebuilt main track. Beginning July 1, the dirt oval is scheduled to reopen for training Wednesday through Sunday between 5:30 a.m. and 8 a.m. While horses can gallop and jog on both surfaces during this initial phase, NYRA has not yet established a timetable for when timed workouts will be permitted.
The reopening of the training tracks represents another significant step in the redevelopment of one of American racing’s most historic venues. Belmont Park remains on target to welcome live racing back in September following its extensive reconstruction, with the new facility featuring four racing surfaces: the iconic main dirt track, two turf courses, and the newly constructed one-mile Tapeta track.
The Tapeta surface will play an especially important role once Belmont resumes year-round racing. It is slated to serve as the exclusive track for winter racing while also providing horsemen with a year-round training option. In addition, the synthetic course will be available for races transferred from the turf because of adverse weather conditions.
Construction crews continue working throughout the grandstand and infield, necessitating the abbreviated training schedule currently in place. As work progresses, NYRA officials expect to expand training opportunities before Belmont Park officially reopens to the public on September 18, ushering in a new era for New York racing.
