MICHAEL VEITCH: Aqueduct to bring revenue to NYRA

By MICHAEL VEITCH The Saratogian

Aqueduct is going to shine.

The racino project of Genting New York LLC will open sometime this autumn, bringing a long-awaited revenue stream to the New York Racing Association.

I toured the facility earlier this week, and came away excited about what it is likely to mean for NYRA and its three tracks.

Total purses at Aqueduct, Belmont and Saratoga are expected to increase from $25-$35 million on an annual basis.

According to NYRA president Charlie Hayward, those figures are based on conservative projections of the play at the slot machines, which will number approximately 3,000 upon opening.

In all, 4,500 machines will be at Aqueduct.

The gaming space will occupy what used to be the grandstand section of the Big A, and also take a small portion of the second floor clubhouse.

The massive undertaking involves a retro-fitting of the Aqueduct grandstand.

Tony Agnese, facilities director of the project, said 800 workers are currently employed in two ten-hour shifts during construction.

Perhaps most impressive is a floating theatrical stage for performances at the racino. Also included in the work are the numerous underground offices and departments at Aqueduct, including a new telebet room that NYRA added following the closure of New York City Off- Track Betting.

Hayward noted that the number of calls during the first quarter of 2010 was 90,000, a figure that exploded to 440,000 for the same period in 2011, following the shutdown of NYCOTB.

The inadequacy of Aqueduct to handle such a surge was one reason NYRA outsourced its phone betting, a move that caused fits among politicians who raised no such prior anger at the same practice by state agencies.

Business is booming at NYRA since NYCOTB closed, a healthy development for racing which included some 3,000 people attending Aqueduct for Belmont Day and wagering an average of $350 per person.

Another exciting aspect of the Genting design is a beautiful terrace that connects to the gaming rooms and provides a great view of the track.

“This alone could be a new paradigm for the casino at the track concept,” said Hayward.

That view was echoed by Colin Au, a senior executive for Genting, whose happiness about the project is contagious despite the various construction delays and talk of other casinos in the metropolitan region.

“This is where you will have the best view for the Wood Memorial,” he said while standing on the terrace.

And he said it more than once.

Around the tracks

Buster's Ready posted an authoritative victory in the Grade 1 Mother Goose Stakes at last Saturday.

Coming off a good second to the highly-regarded Royal Delta in the Black Eyed Susan Stakes at Pimlico, she rolled home by four lengths after attending the pace set by Salty Strike.

Joyful Victory rallied for second, with R Gypsy Gold third.

Buster's Ready returned $9.40 and sent her career earnings to $290,084 with a record of 4-2-1 in 9 starts.

The daughter of More Than Ready raced on the Aqueduct inner track last winter, thus joining Belmont Stakes winner and Acorn Stakes winner It's Tricky in that regard.

Keep your eye on her for the imminent Saratoga meet and the Coaching Club American Oaks and .

The $1 million Queen's Plate will be run for the 152nd time today at Woodbine Race Track in Toronto.

North America's oldest stakes race for 3-year-olds has drawn a field of 17.

The filly Inglorious, winner of the Woodbine Oaks, is among the top choices, as is Check Your Soul, Queen'splatekitten, and Bowman's Causeway.

Check Your Soul is coming off two straight stakes wins in his four-race career, and is trained by Roger Attfield.

He is the one to beat, as Attfield goes for a record ninth victory in the great race.

Coming Wednesday

Trainer Seth Benzel discusses the Lasix issue as my series with Oklahoma Training Track horsemen continues.

Michael Veitch writes a column on horse racing for The Saratogian every Wednesday and Sunday.