Belmont renovation

Last week's announcement that the 2024 GI Belmont S. will be migrating north to Saratoga Race Course for 2024 because of the $455-million extensive renovation of Belmont Park made official a move that the New York Racing Association (NYRA) has been openly discussing for months. But since the press release from the New York governor's office came out during a slow time of the year for racing news, it rekindled speculation about the ramifications of tinkering with the historical significance of the third jewel of the Triple Crown. The debate...

The Supreme Court of New York will hear oral arguments Oct. 11 in a case involving two self-described "citizen taxpayers" who want the state's $455 million loan to renovate Belmont Park declared as "an illegal and unconstitutional expenditure, misappropriation, misapplication, or disbursement of State funds." During the oral arguments, the court will consider both the plaintiffs' motion for a preliminary injunction and a motion to dismiss the case made by the defendants, who are the New York Racing Association (NYRA), the State of New York, the New York State Assembly,...

Two New York residents sued the state, its governing bodies, elected officials, and the New York Racing Association (NYRA) on Thursday in an attempt to block the recently announced $455-million loan to renovate Belmont Park. "This case is about the State of New York's unconstitutional appropriation of taxpayer funds by loaning nearly half a billion dollars to NYRA, all while turning a blind eye to NYRA's past two decades of financial mismanagement, malfeasance and scandal, and, more importantly, ignoring the State's Constitutional prohibition against providing State monies--whether by loan or...