NYRA adjusts Saratoga Race Course general admission ticket policy

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SARATOGA SPRINGS – No more hand stamps.

The New York Racing Association is tweaking its general admission ticket policy at Saratoga Race Course for the 2023 season to eliminate separate pricing for grandstand and clubhouse admission.

The general admission cost will be $10 for live racing on the day of the event, or $7 if purchased at least 24 hours in advance, and will grant full access to the grandstand and clubhouse.

Since 2019, daily grandstand-only admission had been $7, and the cost to include clubhouse access was $10, necessitating hand stamping for those leaving the clubhouse to gain re-entry.

The elimination of separate clubhouse and grandstand exchanges means that fans will now have universal access to amenities and attractions, such as the Jim Dandy Bar and the portion of the apron by the finish line, that had previously been limited to those with clubhouse admission.

“Our new single admission policy is designed to improve the overall experience for our fans by providing access to all areas of Saratoga Race Course,” said NYRA Vice President, Sales and Hospitality, Kevin Quinn in a release. “Not only does this change create a seamless, simplified experience, but it will provide all fans with access to previously unavailable amenities, like upper concourse bars and concession stands located in the Clubhouse.”

Fans will be able to purchase their daily admission to Saratoga Race Course beginning Thursday, June 1, at NYRA.com/Saratoga.

Season admission passes, which provide admission at a substantial discount for all 40 days of the summer meet, will go on sale in April.

Travers Day (Aug. 26) general admission will be available for $25 in advance and $30 day-of, while supplies last. 

The 2023 Saratoga season will open on Thursday, July 13.

CAPITAL PROJECTS

NYRA also announced some new construction projects, including residential buildings for backstretch workers at Saratoga and Belmont Park, part of a multi-year $40 million campaign to modernize and improve backstretch housing and facilities at the tracks.

Following design review and approval from the Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation, NYRA will construct a residence adjacent to the lowlands on the Oklahoma Training Track side of Saratoga. Use of the Oklahoma as a training center and base of operations from April to November has grown significantly in recent years, which necessitated the complete renovation of the facility in 2021.

In addition to the construction of this new residence, NYRA will continue to renovate and modernize existing housing on both the Oklahoma and main track sides of Saratoga, with new dormitory construction planned for Saratoga in both 2024 and 2025.

Belmont will get a new residence to provide updated housing for the 1,000 people living and working there throughout the year.

Also at Belmont, there are plans to install a synthetic track, a 1-mile oval that will be located to the inside of the inner turf course and will serve as the fourth Belmont racing surface to complement the existing main track and two turf courses.

This project, among others, is part of NYRA’s 2023 fiscal year capital budget, which was approved on Wednesday by the New York State Franchise Oversight Board.

The recent completion of a vehicular tunnel accessing the 45-acre Belmont Park infield will allow for construction of the synthetic track and renovation of the inner turf course to begin following the conclusion of the 2023 Belmont Park spring/summer meet in July. For the second year in a row, the Belmont fall meet will be held at Aqueduct to accommodate the construction work at Belmont.

These capital improvement projects will arrive as part of NYRA’s ongoing campaign to modernize Belmont Park, which will include the complete renovation of all racing surfaces and the construction of new irrigation ponds among other improvements.

“NYRA has closely studied the evolution of synthetic surfaces in recent years, and the time is right to add this option for use during both training and racing,” said Glen Kozak, NYRA Senior Vice President, Operations and Capital Projects. “The new track represents an investment in the future of Belmont Park that will enhance equine safety, support field size during inclement weather and provide horsemen with another year-round training option.”

In December, NYRA completed installation of a Tapeta Footings synthetic surface at the Belmont Park pony track, which is primarily utilized for jogging horses and has been heavily used since its opening. It has yielded information and data on the performance of a synthetic surface in overall climate and weather conditions encountered at Belmont.

NYRA expects the renovation of the inner turf and construction of the new synthetic track to be complete by spring of 2024.

Contact Mike MacAdam at [email protected]. Follow on Twitter @Mike_MacAdam.

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Categories: At The Track, Email Newsletter, Saratoga Springs, Sports, Sports