HANDICAPPING INSIGHTS
JUNE 19, 2015
by Dick Powell
Saratoga opens in about five weeks and things will look like they were last
year. Which, for now, is good since what could be coming down the pipe could
change the essential nature of the Spa for the worse.
A few years ago, the previous NYRA administration hired Turnberry Consulting
to examine every physical structure at Saratoga. Paul Roberts of Turnberry is an
expert on the history of racetrack architecture and he made a series of
recommendations to upgrade Saratoga Race Course and bring it into the 21st
century.
Some were okay but many displayed a complete lack of understanding of what
makes Saratoga what it is. One, of which I challenged him at a public meeting in
Saratoga a couple of years ago, was moving the jocks’ room.
The way it is now, the jockeys unsaddle their mounts and are then escorted
through the crowd back to the jocks’ room, which is centrally located on the
property. At this point, they are in a rush to get back and change for the next
race but when they come out for the next race, they have to walk through the
crowd to get to the paddock.
The crowd is mostly youngsters that are looking for autographs and sometimes
on a good day, they might be given a pair of goggles from one of the jockeys. It
is as much a part of the Saratoga experience as the spring water but if it was
up to Paul Roberts, it would come to a screeching halt.
Roberts proposed, and it is still being actively promoted even though
Turnberry Consulting is no longer involved, to move the jocks’ room to a new,
two-story building where the saddling enclosure is now. Seems like a good idea
and just like at Churchill Downs, the jockeys would come down the stairs right
into the paddock to mount their horses.
The problem, which I challenged Roberts two years ago and he dismissed it,
was that now the jockeys would dismount their horses and have a longer walk to
get back to the new jocks’ room. They would have to cross a horsepath, which
could delay them if horses were coming in to the paddock for the next race so
they will be in a big rush to get back there. They would then change and come
down the steps into the paddock and mount their horses. There would be no
interaction with the kids or the public. End of tradition.
To allow Roberts to propose this, and still have it as a real possibility,
would be like asking me to make changes to Royal Ascot. This is an idea that
should have been dead on arrival but for some, strange reason, it lives on.
But wait; there’s more!
In a series of documents and designs that the New York State Franchise
Oversight Board is reviewing and seeking public comments, moving the jocks’ room
is just one of many tone-deaf changes that are being proposed at Saratoga.
How about extending the picnic area out to the Union Avenue fence? Good idea,
right? Gives everyone more room to spread out in the backyard.
Only one thing. Where are the owners, trainers and jockeys going to park?
Currently, they pull in and park in what we call trackside parking. They get out
of their cars and either go to the jocks’ room or if you are a trainer, they
might go right to the paddock to saddle a horse.
Where they are going to park is anyone’s guess. Some say they will have to
park over at Oklahoma. My question is Tulsa or Oklahoma City? They might as well
since they are going to be far, far away.
The press box at Saratoga has been there since around 1930. Legends like Red
Smith and Joe Hirsch wrote from there on a daily basis. Now, the proposal is to
remove it completely and locate a new press box behind the fourth level of the
Turf Terrace restaurant. The plans even have a viewing area at the front of the
new press box so the media can watch.
What they are going to watch is anyone’s guess since the new press box is
past the finish line and the view up the stretch is obstructed by the stewards
stand, announcer’s booth and finish line equipment that goes up three levels.
In an industry that desperately needs media attention, why not just take the
existing press box and modernize it? Yes, there is a narrow catwalk to get to it
but I don’t remember anyone ever complaining about it. Once you were there, you
had a great view of the entire track and if you went up on the roof above it,
the view was breathtaking.
Perhaps the most controversial change is a new, permanent building that would
replace the current temporary building on the other side of the horse gap where
the horses come out onto the track from the paddock. The design of the
three-story structure, which will house luxury suites and a steakhouse, will be
assuredly compliant with the Saratoga architectural theme.
The issue is how necessary is the building and what are the consequences to
building it? For me, Saratoga has always had an egalitarian feel to it. On a
hot, humid day, Dinny Phipps is just as hot as I am. Probably more since I am in
shorts and he has a sports jacket on. The lack of luxury facilities has been a
fact of Saratoga for 150 years and now it is going to change for a few that can
afford it.
Because the new building will not have kitchen facilities situated in it,
food will have to be cooked in a new building that will run the length of Wright
Street from Nelson Avenue to the entrance gate. A new entrance will be
constructed even though the current one works just fine and there is a proposed
new entrance down the block when Lincoln Avenue ends. Why, I have no idea.
If you want to see for yourself, go to NYRA.com and click on “Saratoga Race
Course Development Plan.” Your comments need to be directed to:
carolyn.dunderdale@ogs.ny.gov
My official comments to the Franchise Oversight Board are what follows:
Carolyn Dunderdale
New York State Office of General Services
33 Floor Corning
Governor Nelson A Rockefeller Empire Plaza
Albany, NY 12242
Dear Ms. Dunderdale,
I have numerous problems with the various aspects of the proposed changes to
Saratoga Race Course. In the past few years, I have sat through various
presentations made by Paul Roberts from Turnberry Consulting and even challenged
him on hurting the essential character of Saratoga. He knows racetrack
architectural history but very little about why people come to Saratoga.
The proposed changes lack any structure in terms of what is “must have,”
“should have” and “nice to have.” Nearly all the projects fall under the “nice
to have” category and will only waste tens of millions of dollars.
So what is a “must have” project? Any improvement that helps the customers
enjoy the day at the races. Anything that improves fire safety? Anything that
adds restrooms, especially for women.
“Should have” is very simple: please clean this track. I could take anyone on
a tour of the facility that shows how filthy the track is and how, even with
millions of dollars from the Aqueduct VLT operation, it is being treated like it
was when NYRA was in bankruptcy. It is worrisome when you see obvious forms of
deferred maintenance, what else is being deferred that is not so obvious?
Finally, what scares me is that these changes, by their nature, will be
permanent. Once they are made, there is no going back. I think we spend too much
time on whether they align with the historical design of the track and not on
the changes themselves and whether they are really necessary. The meeting of the
Franchise Oversight Board that solicited public comments had nobody explaining
and justifying the proposed changes. The next time someone assures me that even
required changes will be architecturally compliant with Saratoga tradition, I
will take out a picture of the Shake Shack and Blue Smoke restaurants which are
an architectural abomination.
Wright Street Building/Entrance
Not sure why we need a new building that will be disruptive to the sightline
of driving by the racetrack on Nelson Avenue.
The Wright Street entrance only needs to be opened up some to remove the
bottleneck of fans coming through the wrought iron gate. Can’t tell from the
plans if the proposed building on Wright Street will affect the entrance itself.
Creating an entrance at Lincoln Avenue makes no sense. Nearly all but one of
the parking lots are closer to the existing Wright Street entrance so those fans
now have farther to walk to enter and they have to walk back to get to the
track. Not sure who will be using the proposed Lincoln Avenue entrance but it
has nightmare potential for pedestrians that will now have to negotiate
automobile traffic.
Jockey’s Room
Paul Roberts was told that this would not work since it would reduce the
opportunity for children to interact with the jockeys on the way to and from the
jock’s room. Putting it in the saddling enclosure means the jockeys bring their
horses back from a race, dismount and then have an even longer walk back to the
room, which includes crossing a horse path. They will be in such a rush that
they will have little time to interact with the children.
Then, when they change for the next race, instead of walking back through the
crowd to the paddock, they will not just walk down a flight of stairs and get on
their mounts.
There are some things that make Saratoga special and this is one of them. The
people that proposed this know nothing about Saratoga racing and exhibit their
lack of knowledge of the uniqueness of the Saratoga experience.
Expanded Picnic Area and removal of trackside parking
This proposal is so stupid and nonsensical that it barely warrants a comment.
A track that has had declining attendance is going to expand the picnic area
right up to the Union Avenue fence and trainers, jockeys and owners will be
parking farther away from the track than ever before. Forget expanding the
picnic area; open the infield if there is a desire to handle bigger crowds.
Track Apron
I am in favor of anything that improves the fan’s ability to watch the races
but I am concerned that the areas on the apron will eventually be monetized once
the apron is improved.
Moving the Press Box
In an industry that is desperately seeking media attention, the plan is to
remove the historic press box that housed such legends as Red Smith and Joe
Hirsch, and create a new one that is past the finish line with hardly any view
up the homestretch. Why not just take the existing press box and make it better
instead of doing something so idiotic that it destroys the credibility of anyone
that is advocating it?
At The Rail Pavillon
I am not crazy about this for a number of reasons. Saratoga has always had an
egalitarian feel to it. On a hot, humid day, we all suffer equally since there
is virtually no air conditioning there.
Now, those that can afford it can sit in climate-controlled comfort while the
rest of us suffer.
There is talk about a steakhouse in the new building, which I don’t
understand. As a good neighbor and partner in the Saratoga business community,
how can a steakhouse not affect similar businesses in the rest of the city? What
will the hours of operation be? Will it be open after the races? Will it be open
on days when there is no racing?
One fear of a major capital investment in this spot is that it will be used
as a justification to extend the meet beyond its current forty days.
Yours Truly,
Dick Powell