Who needs a decision on the future of New York’s racing franchise or clarity on the Saratoga Race Course land dispute when you’ve got limited edition Angel Cordero Jr. bobblehead dolls?
The New York Racing Association unveiled the added features and giveaways for the upcoming six-week Saratoga meet, and also fielded questions on what was described as the elephant in the room: the future of New York thoroughbred racing after NYRA’s contract to run the franchise expires at the end of this year.
NYRA President Charlie Hayward, racing secretary PJ Campo and first-year Spa facilities manager Charlie Wheeler offered a vision of Saratoga-to-come Monday, June 25, at the Desmond Americana in Colonie.
The meet, which gets under way Wednesday, July 25, and runs through Labor Day, will feature the usual weekly promotional items and another day of Twilight Racing. Something that NYRA is trying out new for this meet is `Breakfast with the Brits,` where bettors can wager on simulcast races from England.
Saratoga Race Course patrons will be able to pay their $3 general admission starting just after 7 a.m. to enter a tent area near the track’s front gate and bet on races from places like Catterick, Sandown, Thirsk, York, Newmarket, Goodwood, Nottingham and Haydock.
The simulcast races will be available every day but Tuesdays and Sundays ` dark days at Saratoga and England, respectively.
When asked if there was a sense of trying to `go out with a bang` as far as promotions go ` as this may be NYRA’s last year operating the tracks ` NYRA communications specialist John Lee said the feeling at NYRA heading into this meet was `business as usual.`
`Of course, I’m sure it’s in the backs of some peoples’ minds, but really, we just had a sense of trying to outdo ourselves from last year,` he said.
Hayward also announced $1.2 million in track improvements to the Saratoga Race Course that NYRA was able to make using money it received in a loan from the state.
`We’ve been able to do more funding ` through our bankruptcy, ironically ` to do more capital improvements,` said Hayward.
Wheeler outlined some of the work done on the track facility. He said the striped, snow-side roof was encapsulated for preservation, the clubhouse floor was renovated, and three out of five 19th-century barns were plumbed and restored.
`I challenge you to se if you can tell which of those barns are the originals and which we restored,` he said.
Wheeler, in his first full season since joining NYRA late last summer, said most of the work was done by in-house and local crews.
`I’m privileged and honored to be in charge of maintaining this majestic and historic venue,` he said.
Of course, talk quickly moved to more long-term concerns for NYRA. Hayward preempted the franchise questions by telling the 100 or so assembled media and racing aficionados, `Let me just say this first: There’s been no resolution of the franchise. In fact, you know about as much as I know.`
Empire Racing, Excelsior Racing Associates, Capital Play and NYRA have all bid for the new franchise. Gov. Eliot Spitzer is reviewing the bids, and could decide soon who will operate the tracks, or if the contract should be separated into different parts.
When asked about the governor’s reported inclination to split the franchise into a thoroughbred racing operator and a gaming operator, Hayward said he would if the money was right. `We would be in support of it, providing we get the right splits for purses,` he said. `The issues really come to what the economics are in terms of what the VLT operator gets and what racing can expect.`
Hayward also said it’s critical to settle NYRA’s land claim before any action is taken on the franchise. NYRA says it owns the racetracks, but state leaders say they revert to the state at the conclusion of NYRA’s franchise. When asked if he would trade the land rights to the state for a 20-year contract, Hayward said the situation is more complex than that.
Hayward said he is not frustrated that Spitzer has taken this long to award the franchise.
`I certainly understand the pressure that he’s under,` Hayward said. `They’re moving slowly, but I think they’re moving diligently and very seriously. I’m optimistic we’re going to get something done. They seem to have indicated that NYRA is the best group to run racing.`
He did say some of the ideas being speculated on aren’t so favorable for the prospective franchise holder. One of those ideas is giving NYRA a one or two-year extension.
`You’d like to do a five-year contract with vendors, so you lose a great deal of economic leverage if you only have two years,` said Hayward.
Regardless of the outcome of the franchise, Hayward said the governor is always welcome at his box in Saratoga.
`My understanding is that he’d like to come to the Travers Stakes with a substantial group of people,` he said.
“