Aqueduct Racetrack
Encyclopedia
Aqueduct Racetrack is a thoroughbred
horse-racing facility and racino
in Ozone Park
, Queens
, New York
. Its racing meets usually are from late October/early November through April.
to the Ridgewood Reservoir
, Aqueduct Racetrack opened on September 27, 1894 by the Queens County Jockey Club. The facility was expanded and a new clubhouse was constructed before the 1941 summer meet. In 1955, the Greater New York Association
took over Aqueduct along with Belmont Park
, Saratoga Race Course
, and Jamaica Racetrack
, deciding to make major upgrades to Aqueduct, after which Jamaica Racetrack would be sold for redevelopment as a housing project. Aqueduct closed in 1956, reopening September 14, 1959 after $33 million of renovations designed by noted racetrack architect Arthur Froehlich
of the firm Arthur Froehlich and Associates of Beverly Hills, California
. The Equestris Restaurant in the clubhouse opened in 1981 and was the largest restaurant in New York City at the time. Additional renovations were made in 2001, 2006, and 2007.
Before 1976, the Inner Dirt Track was a turf course and was known as the Main Turf Course, with the present turf course being the Inner Turf Course; following the conclusion of racing in 1975 the grass on the Main Turf Course was uprooted and the Inner Dirt Track took its place to permit year-round racing. (In the years after Aqueduct was rebuilt in 1959 the track lay idle from early November until April 1; by 1971 this period had been reduced to from just before Christmas
until March 1, around when off-track betting
began in New York City, creating a demand for horse racing to be contested in the region year-round.)
Currently, one annual meeting is held at Aqueduct, usually from the last Wednesday in October until the first Sunday in May. Races had been run on the Inner Dirt Track between the Wednesday after Thanksgiving until just before the Wood Memorial in recent years. Prior to 1977, a summer meeting also has held at Aqueduct, from mid-June to late July. From 1963 through 1967, races normally run at Belmont Park, including the Belmont Stakes
, were run at Aqueduct while Belmont's grandstand was being rebuilt. The Wood Memorial is Aqueduct's the marquee race, which culminates the winter meet. The Remsen and Cigar Mile are major races that begin the winter meet. The prestigious Jockey Club Gold Cup
was usually run there between 1958 and 1974, and what was perhaps the track's most distinctive race, the marathon 2+1/4 mi Display Handicap
, was last contested in 1990. The track played host to the second ever Breeders' Cup
on November 2, 1985.
Aqueduct is the site of the first, and presently, the only triple dead heat
for win in a stakes race. In the 1944 running of the Carter Handicap, Brownie, Bossuet, and Wait A Bit hit the finish line at the same time. On April 8, 2006, during an eleven-race program at Aqueduct that included the Wood Memorial Stakes
, a rare event happened when dead heats for each of the three "money" positions (Win, Place and Show) occurred in three separate races: Saint Anddan and Criminal Mind dead-heated for Place in Race 5, Naragansett and Emotrin dead-heated for Show in Race 6, and Karakorum Tuxedo and Megatrend dead-heated for Win in Race 10.
Hall of Fame horse Cigar
won the first two races in his sixteen-race win streak at Aqueduct. After switching from grass to dirt, Cigar's first win was by eighth lengths in an allowance race on October 28, 1994 and was followed by a seven length win in the NYRA Mile
on November 26, 1994, a Grade 1 race that was renamed in the horse's honor in 1997. On May 31, 1965, 73,375 spectators were on hand at Aqueduct and watched Gun Bow
win the Metropolitan Mile
. At the time, it was the largest crowd to ever attend a thoroughbred horse racing event in New York
.
Champion racehorse Secretariat was retired here before the public on November 6, 1973. He was paraded for the last time to the public and took his last steps on a racetrack here. He was then sent to stud at Claiborne Farm.
Pope John Paul II
said mass in front of a crowd of 75,000 at Aqueduct on October 6, 1995. Every weekend, a flea market
is run in the racetrack's north parking lot, located along Rockaway Boulevard.
was considering closing Aqueduct and selling the 192 acre (0.77699712 km²) track and its stables, which currently house 400 horses, to developers when the New York Racing Association lease expired at the end of 2007. According to the reports, Belmont Park, which is 4 miles (6.4 km) east in Elmont, New York
, would have become a nearly year-round track and would get the video lottery machines authorized to operate at Aqueduct. Belmont Park would have been modified to handle winter requirements which would have included heated stands and the construction of new stables. According to the plans that were discussed, the oldest and most historic track in the state, Saratoga Race Course, would have been operated by the New York Racing Association and a new entity would have operated Belmont Park. Aqueduct traditionally has been considered a track frequented by blue collar
fans while Belmont Park has a more upscale reputation.
Queens Democrat councilwoman Audrey I. Phieffer, whose district includes Aqueduct, fought the closing of the historic track which she felt was important to the local community. Any closure at Aqueduct, which is equipped for the cold winter months, would have required millions of dollars in renovations at Belmont, a summer-only track. Belmont is also hampered by its north-oriented grandstand-which would cause shadows in the winter months. Belmont is one of few racecourses in the United States (Santa Anita Park
and Thistledown Racecourse being the others) to be north-oriented. All others are oriented either east (or rarely west). NYRA was planning to cease all operations after completing the racing card of February 10, 2008. This was averted when a deal was reached with NYRA and New York State. To raise help raise capital, NYRA sold 325000 square feet (30,193.5 m²) of vacant land near Aqueduct in June 2009. The land that was auctioned off consisted of residential lots to the west of the IND Rockaway Line
.
, Monticello Raceway
, Vernon Downs
, and Yonkers Raceway
. The revenue would be divided between the racetracks and the state and would allow tracks to increase purses and attract better quality horses in races.
In 2007, the state issued a request for proposals to operate the video lottery terminals at Aqueduct. Among the bids received was a $2 billion proposal by the Shinnecock Indian Nation
to open a casino at the track. The proposal was in conjunction with Marian Ilitch, a co-owner of the Detroit Red Wings
. The proposal according to most sources was dead on arrival since even if the Shinnecocks received official Bureau of Indian Affairs recognition as a tribe (which they are still awaiting), the Aqueduct Casino would still have to be approved by the New York State Legislature, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and Aqueduct would have to first be taken into trust by the Department of Interior since the Shinnecocks historically had not owned property in Queens. In October 2008, the state selected the Delaware North
as the winning bidder among three proposals to build a racino
at Aqueduct. The 330000 square feet (30,658 m²) facility would include 4,500 slot machines. However, these plans fell apart in March 2009 when the developer was unable to make a $370 million upfront payment to the state.
In July 2009, seven companies submitted bids to develop a racino at Aqueduct: Aqueduct Entertainment Group, Delaware North
, MGM Mirage
, Mohegan Sun
, Penn National Gaming
, SL Green Realty
, and Wynn Resorts
. Some developers indicated that a portion of the slot machines could open as early as April 2010. However, the selection of an operator for the casino was delayed for several months because State officials frequently changed the rules and could not reach an agreement on the winning bidder, prompting Wynn to pull out of the running in November. On January 29, 2010, Governor David Paterson
announced that the Aqueduct Entertainment Group would run the casino.
Aqueduct Entertainment Group partners included GreenStar Services Corporation, Turner Construction Company, Levine Builders, The Darman Group, Empowerment Development Corporation, Navegante Group
, PS&S Design, Siemens AG
and Clairvest Group. The appointment generated controversy because of charges that AEG, which had the worst initial bid of those bidding, was allowed to change its bid so that it had the best. Paterson was reported to have demanded that the ownership of an affirmative action
component. During this time singer Jay-Z
, through his company Gain Global Investments Network LLC, then got a 7 percent ownership of AEG and charges were made that Jay-Z and Paterson had a personal relationship. U.S. prosecutors investigated the bidding process particularly in the light that AEG won the bid two days after Queens megachurch
pastor Floyd Flake (who is also an AEG investor) threatened to switch his support in the 2010 governor race from Paterson to Andrew Cuomo
. New York house speaker Sheldon Silver
also threatened not to sign off on the deal. Paterson maintained there was no quid pro quo
. On March 9, 2010 Paterson, Flake, and Jay-Z withdrew from further involvement. Paterson said he was recusing himself on the advice of his lawyers. Flake, who had 0.6 percent share said the case was distracting from his other projects. On March 11, 2010, the state withdrew its support for the AEG bid and announced that a new group would be selected through an "expedited, transparent, apolitical and publicly accountable process." Aqueduct Entertainment Group said it intends to sue.
On June 2, 2010, New York Lottery
officials announced that six groups were considering submitting bids to develop the racino. These include three of the previous bidders (Delaware North, Penn National Gaming and SL Green Realty) and three new groups (Empire City Casino at Yonkers Raceway
, Genting New York LLC and Clairvest Group). On June 29, three of the firms submitted bids: SL Green/Hard Rock Cafe
, Genting Group
, and Penn National. Clairvest participated in the SL Green/Hard Rock Cafe bid.
The bids from Penn and SL Green were disqualified in July for not meeting requirements. On August 3, 2010, Lottery officials announced they had accepted Genting Group
's $380 million upfront licensing fee bid, which was $55 million more than the closest bid. Its business model includes targeting flyers stranded at John F. Kennedy Airport. The company said its plans involve 1,200 construction jobs and 800 permanent jobs and will bring the state $500 million a year in revenue. Genting opened the Resorts World Casino New York City on October 28, 2011, with 2,280 gaming terminals.
is the chief track announcer
at Aqueduct and the other NYRA tracks. John Imbriale, the veteran NYRA backup and TV host, is the race caller during the winter section of the Aqueduct season. TV personalities have included:
of 17,000 but total capacity of 90,000.
The track itself has three courses: the Main Track (dirt) has a circumference of 1+1/8 mi; inside of this is the Inner Dirt Track (consisting of a special type of dirt over which races are run during the winter months), which is exactly 1 miles (1.6 km) long; and the innermost course is a turf (grass) course, spanning 7 furlongs plus 43 feet (1.4 km). A straightaway chute
leads on to the backstretch of the Main Track and permits races on the dirt up to 1 miles (1.6 km) long to be run with one turn. The turf course has a diagonal chute that permits races up to 1+1/8 mi long to be run with two turns. Oddly, the stretch on the Inner Dirt Track—1174 feet (357.8 m)—is longer than the stretch on the Main Track—1153 feet (351.4 m)—due to the structure of the turns.
Grade I:
Grade II:
Grade III:
Non-graded stakes races:
station—on the New York City Subway
, served by the IND Rockaway Line
train. It is only open from 11 am to 7 pm on days when the track is open. However, it is also the system's only single direction station, with a single side platform on the Manhattan-bound side, requiring southbound travelers to exit at Aqueduct–North Conduit Avenue
station, which is located a few blocks to the south. NYRA also operates a free shuttle bus between the North Conduit Avenue station and the Clubhouse entrance.
The Q37 bus route serves Aqueduct and was rerouted on October 28, 2011 to serve the racino. The Q7 and Q11 bus routes also pass nearby.
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
horse-racing facility and racino
Racino
A racino is a combined race track and casino. In some cases, the gambling is limited to slot machines, but many locations are beginning to include table games such as blackjack, poker, and roulette....
in Ozone Park
Ozone Park, Queens
Ozone Park is a working class neighborhood located in the southwestern section of the New York City borough of Queens bordering Woodhaven, Richmond Hill, South Ozone Park, Howard Beach, and City Line, Brooklyn....
, Queens
Borough (New York City)
New York City, one of the largest cities in the world, is composed of five boroughs. Each borough now has the same boundaries as the county it is in. County governments were dissolved when the city consolidated in 1898, along with all city, town, and village governments within each county...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. Its racing meets usually are from late October/early November through April.
History
Operating near the site of a former conduit of the Brooklyn Water Works that brought water from Long IslandLong Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
to the Ridgewood Reservoir
Ridgewood Reservoir
Ridgewood Reservoir is a decommissioned 19th century reservoir that sits on the Brooklyn-Queens border and is part of Highland Park. The reservoir and park are bounded on the north by the Jackie Robinson Parkway, on the south by Highland Boulevard, on the west by Vermont Place and on the east by...
, Aqueduct Racetrack opened on September 27, 1894 by the Queens County Jockey Club. The facility was expanded and a new clubhouse was constructed before the 1941 summer meet. In 1955, the Greater New York Association
New York Racing Association
The New York Racing Association, Inc. is the not-for-profit corporation that operates the three largest thoroughbred horse-racing tracks in the state of New York. It runs Aqueduct Racetrack in South Ozone Park, Queens, Belmont Park in Elmont, Long Island , and Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga...
took over Aqueduct along with Belmont Park
Belmont Park
Belmont Park is a major thoroughbred horse-racing facility located in Elmont in the Town of Hempstead in Nassau County, New York, on Long Island adjoining New York City. It first opened on May 4, 1905...
, Saratoga Race Course
Saratoga Race Course
Saratoga Race Course is a Thoroughbred horse racing track in Saratoga Springs, New York, United States. It opened on August 3, 1863, and is the oldest organized sporting venue of any kind in the United States. It is typically open for racing from late July through early September.-History:John...
, and Jamaica Racetrack
Jamaica Racetrack
Jamaica Race Course was an American thoroughbred horse racing facility operated by the Metropolitan Jockey Club in Jamaica, New York. The track opened on April 27, 1903, a day which featured the inaugural running of the Excelsior Handicap. Eugene D. Wood, one of the founders and largest...
, deciding to make major upgrades to Aqueduct, after which Jamaica Racetrack would be sold for redevelopment as a housing project. Aqueduct closed in 1956, reopening September 14, 1959 after $33 million of renovations designed by noted racetrack architect Arthur Froehlich
Arthur Froehlich
Arthur Froehlich , of the firm Arthur Froehlich & Associates, was an architect from Beverly Hills, California, known for his mid-century supermarkets and racetracks.Buildings credited to Arthur Froehlich & Associates:...
of the firm Arthur Froehlich and Associates of Beverly Hills, California
Beverly Hills, California
Beverly Hills is an affluent city located in Los Angeles County, California, United States. With a population of 34,109 at the 2010 census, up from 33,784 as of the 2000 census, it is home to numerous Hollywood celebrities. Beverly Hills and the neighboring city of West Hollywood are together...
. The Equestris Restaurant in the clubhouse opened in 1981 and was the largest restaurant in New York City at the time. Additional renovations were made in 2001, 2006, and 2007.
Before 1976, the Inner Dirt Track was a turf course and was known as the Main Turf Course, with the present turf course being the Inner Turf Course; following the conclusion of racing in 1975 the grass on the Main Turf Course was uprooted and the Inner Dirt Track took its place to permit year-round racing. (In the years after Aqueduct was rebuilt in 1959 the track lay idle from early November until April 1; by 1971 this period had been reduced to from just before Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
until March 1, around when off-track betting
Off-track betting
Off-track betting refers to sanctioned gambling on horse racing outside a race track.-US history:...
began in New York City, creating a demand for horse racing to be contested in the region year-round.)
Currently, one annual meeting is held at Aqueduct, usually from the last Wednesday in October until the first Sunday in May. Races had been run on the Inner Dirt Track between the Wednesday after Thanksgiving until just before the Wood Memorial in recent years. Prior to 1977, a summer meeting also has held at Aqueduct, from mid-June to late July. From 1963 through 1967, races normally run at Belmont Park, including the Belmont Stakes
Belmont Stakes
The Belmont Stakes is an American Grade I stakes Thoroughbred horse race held every June at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. It is a 1.5-mile horse race, open to three year old Thoroughbreds. Colts and geldings carry a weight of 126 pounds ; fillies carry 121 pounds...
, were run at Aqueduct while Belmont's grandstand was being rebuilt. The Wood Memorial is Aqueduct's the marquee race, which culminates the winter meet. The Remsen and Cigar Mile are major races that begin the winter meet. The prestigious Jockey Club Gold Cup
Jockey Club Gold Cup
The Jockey Club Gold Cup, established in 1919, is a prestigious thoroughbred flat race open to horses of either gender three-years-old and up. It is typically the main event of the fall meeting at Belmont Park, just as the Belmont Stakes is of the spring meeting and the Travers Stakes is of the...
was usually run there between 1958 and 1974, and what was perhaps the track's most distinctive race, the marathon 2+1/4 mi Display Handicap
Display Handicap
The Display Handicap was an American Thoroughbred horse raceformerly run on Long Island, New York's Aqueduct Racetrack. It was for 3-year-olds and up, and was traditionally held on the last day of racing in New York for that calendar year...
, was last contested in 1990. The track played host to the second ever Breeders' Cup
Breeders' Cup
The Breeders' Cup World Championships is an annual series of Thoroughbred horse races, most but not all Grade I, operated by Breeders' Cup Limited, a company formed in 1982. From its inception in 1984 through 2006, it was a single-day event; starting in 2007, it expanded to two days. The location...
on November 2, 1985.
Aqueduct is the site of the first, and presently, the only triple dead heat
Tie (draw)
To tie or draw is to finish a competition with identical or inconclusive results. The word "tie" is usually used in North America for sports such as American football. "Draw" is usually used in the United Kingdom, Ireland and the Commonwealth of Nations and it is usually used for sports such as...
for win in a stakes race. In the 1944 running of the Carter Handicap, Brownie, Bossuet, and Wait A Bit hit the finish line at the same time. On April 8, 2006, during an eleven-race program at Aqueduct that included the Wood Memorial Stakes
Wood Memorial Stakes
The Wood Memorial Stakes is an American flat Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds held annually at Aqueduct Racetrack in Jamaica, New York. It is currently a Grade I race run over a distance of 9 furlongs on dirt....
, a rare event happened when dead heats for each of the three "money" positions (Win, Place and Show) occurred in three separate races: Saint Anddan and Criminal Mind dead-heated for Place in Race 5, Naragansett and Emotrin dead-heated for Show in Race 6, and Karakorum Tuxedo and Megatrend dead-heated for Win in Race 10.
Hall of Fame horse Cigar
Cigar (horse)
Cigar , is a retired American Thoroughbred racehorse, who in 1995 and 1996 became the first American racehorse racing against top-class competition to win 16 consecutive races since the Triple Crown winner, Citation did so in 1948 and 1950...
won the first two races in his sixteen-race win streak at Aqueduct. After switching from grass to dirt, Cigar's first win was by eighth lengths in an allowance race on October 28, 1994 and was followed by a seven length win in the NYRA Mile
Cigar Mile Handicap
The Cigar Mile Handicap is an American race for thoroughbred horses at Aqueduct Racetrack in New York. Run annually in late November, it is named in honor of the U.S. Hall of Fame horse Cigar, who won the race in 1994 when it was known as the NYRA Mile. Renamed in 1997 following Cigar's retirement,...
on November 26, 1994, a Grade 1 race that was renamed in the horse's honor in 1997. On May 31, 1965, 73,375 spectators were on hand at Aqueduct and watched Gun Bow
Gun Bow
Gun Bow was an American Thoroughbred Hall of Fame racehorse. Owned and bred by cosmetics tycoon Elizabeth Arden at her Maine Chance Farm, Gun Bow was sired by Gun Shot, a son of Hyperion, the 1933 Epsom Derby winner and a six-time leading sire in Great Britain & Ireland. He was out of the mare...
win the Metropolitan Mile
Metropolitan Handicap
The Metropolitan Handicap, frequently called the "Met Mile," is an American Grade I Thoroughbred horse race held annually during the last week of May at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. Open to horses age three and older, it is contested on dirt over a distance of one mile .The Met Mile was first...
. At the time, it was the largest crowd to ever attend a thoroughbred horse racing event in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
.
Champion racehorse Secretariat was retired here before the public on November 6, 1973. He was paraded for the last time to the public and took his last steps on a racetrack here. He was then sent to stud at Claiborne Farm.
Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
said mass in front of a crowd of 75,000 at Aqueduct on October 6, 1995. Every weekend, a flea market
Flea market
A flea market or swap meet is a type of bazaar where inexpensive or secondhand goods are sold or bartered. It may be indoors, such as in a warehouse or school gymnasium; or it may be outdoors, such as in a field or under a tent...
is run in the racetrack's north parking lot, located along Rockaway Boulevard.
Proposal to close track
In May 2007, reports indicated that then-New York Governor Eliot SpitzerEliot Spitzer
Eliot Laurence Spitzer is an American lawyer, former Democratic Party politician, and political commentator. He was the co-host of In the Arena, a talk-show and punditry forum broadcast on CNN until CNN cancelled his show in July of 2011...
was considering closing Aqueduct and selling the 192 acre (0.77699712 km²) track and its stables, which currently house 400 horses, to developers when the New York Racing Association lease expired at the end of 2007. According to the reports, Belmont Park, which is 4 miles (6.4 km) east in Elmont, New York
Elmont, New York
Elmont is an unincorporated census-designated place located in the northwest corner of the Town of Hempstead in Nassau County, New York, along its border with the borough of Queens in New York City...
, would have become a nearly year-round track and would get the video lottery machines authorized to operate at Aqueduct. Belmont Park would have been modified to handle winter requirements which would have included heated stands and the construction of new stables. According to the plans that were discussed, the oldest and most historic track in the state, Saratoga Race Course, would have been operated by the New York Racing Association and a new entity would have operated Belmont Park. Aqueduct traditionally has been considered a track frequented by blue collar
Blue collar
Blue collar can refer to:*Blue-collar worker, a traditional designation of the working class*Blue-collar crime, the types of crimes typically associated with the working class*A census designation...
fans while Belmont Park has a more upscale reputation.
Queens Democrat councilwoman Audrey I. Phieffer, whose district includes Aqueduct, fought the closing of the historic track which she felt was important to the local community. Any closure at Aqueduct, which is equipped for the cold winter months, would have required millions of dollars in renovations at Belmont, a summer-only track. Belmont is also hampered by its north-oriented grandstand-which would cause shadows in the winter months. Belmont is one of few racecourses in the United States (Santa Anita Park
Santa Anita Park
Santa Anita Park is a thoroughbred racetrack in Arcadia, California, United States. It offers some of the prominent racing events in the United States during the winter and in spring. With its backdrop of the purple San Gabriel Mountains, it is considered by many as the world's most beautiful race...
and Thistledown Racecourse being the others) to be north-oriented. All others are oriented either east (or rarely west). NYRA was planning to cease all operations after completing the racing card of February 10, 2008. This was averted when a deal was reached with NYRA and New York State. To raise help raise capital, NYRA sold 325000 square feet (30,193.5 m²) of vacant land near Aqueduct in June 2009. The land that was auctioned off consisted of residential lots to the west of the IND Rockaway Line
IND Rockaway Line
The IND Rockaway Line is a rapid transit line of the IND Division of the New York City Subway. It branches from the IND Fulton Street Line at Rockaway Boulevard, extending over the Jamaica Bay, into the Rockaways.-History:...
.
Proposal for Racino
The New York State Legislature legalized video gambling devices at racetracks in 2001. However the opening of a racino at the track has hit various problems. Video lottery terminals similar to slot machines were approved at five locations, including Aqueduct, Finger Lakes Race TrackFinger Lakes Gaming and Race Track
Finger Lakes Gaming and Race Track is a thoroughbred horse-racing track and racino located in Farmington in western New York State, approximately 25 miles southeast of Rochester. The facility is about one mile south of New York State Thruway exit 44....
, Monticello Raceway
Monticello Raceway
Monticello Gaming and Raceway is a harness racing track, and home to a relatively new racino, in Monticello, Sullivan County, New York. It is off Exit 104 of Route 17 , on New York State Route 17B....
, Vernon Downs
Vernon Downs
Vernon Downs is a horse racing track, racino and entertainment facility located in the town of Vernon in central New York.On February 11, 2008, the casino closed down after the New York State Assembly's Racing and Wagering Committee failed to pass a bill that would allow Vernon Downs and other...
, and Yonkers Raceway
Yonkers Raceway
Yonkers Raceway, founded in 1899 as the Empire City Race Track, is a one-half-mile standardbred harness racing dirt track and New York state-approved slots racino located at the intersection of Central Park Avenue and Yonkers Avenue in Yonkers, New York near the New York City border...
. The revenue would be divided between the racetracks and the state and would allow tracks to increase purses and attract better quality horses in races.
In 2007, the state issued a request for proposals to operate the video lottery terminals at Aqueduct. Among the bids received was a $2 billion proposal by the Shinnecock Indian Nation
Shinnecock Indian Nation
The Shinnecock Indian Nation is a federally recognized tribe, headquartered in Suffolk County, New York, on the south shore of Long Island. Shinnecock are an Algonquian people from Long Island...
to open a casino at the track. The proposal was in conjunction with Marian Ilitch, a co-owner of the Detroit Red Wings
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...
. The proposal according to most sources was dead on arrival since even if the Shinnecocks received official Bureau of Indian Affairs recognition as a tribe (which they are still awaiting), the Aqueduct Casino would still have to be approved by the New York State Legislature, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and Aqueduct would have to first be taken into trust by the Department of Interior since the Shinnecocks historically had not owned property in Queens. In October 2008, the state selected the Delaware North
Delaware North Companies
Delaware North Companies is a global food service and hospitality company headquartered in Buffalo, New York The company operates in the lodging, sporting, airport, gaming and entertainment industries. The company employs over 50,000 people worldwide and has over $2 billion in annual revenues...
as the winning bidder among three proposals to build a racino
Racino
A racino is a combined race track and casino. In some cases, the gambling is limited to slot machines, but many locations are beginning to include table games such as blackjack, poker, and roulette....
at Aqueduct. The 330000 square feet (30,658 m²) facility would include 4,500 slot machines. However, these plans fell apart in March 2009 when the developer was unable to make a $370 million upfront payment to the state.
In July 2009, seven companies submitted bids to develop a racino at Aqueduct: Aqueduct Entertainment Group, Delaware North
Delaware North Companies
Delaware North Companies is a global food service and hospitality company headquartered in Buffalo, New York The company operates in the lodging, sporting, airport, gaming and entertainment industries. The company employs over 50,000 people worldwide and has over $2 billion in annual revenues...
, MGM Mirage
MGM Mirage
Not to be confused with the Las Vegas, Nevada based casino/resort operator Resorts International Holdings.MGM Resorts International is a Paradise, Nevada based corporation that brands itself as a global hospitality company. It is the second largest gaming company in the world by revenue - about...
, Mohegan Sun
Mohegan Sun
Mohegan Sun, located in Uncasville, Connecticut, is the second largest casino in the United States with of gaming space. It is located on along the banks of the Thames River. It is at the heart of the scenic foothills of southeastern Connecticut, where 60 percent of the state's tourism is...
, Penn National Gaming
Penn National Gaming
Penn National Gaming, Inc. is a diversified owner and operator of casino properties, as well as horse racetracks and associated off-track betting facilities primarily in the United States...
, SL Green Realty
SL Green Realty
SL Green Realty Corp is a Real estate investment trust that claims to be the biggest owner of office towers in Manhattan.It was founded by Stephen L. Green in 1980 as SL Green Properties. It went public in 1997.-Properties:...
, and Wynn Resorts
Wynn Resorts
Wynn Resorts Limited is a publicly traded corporation based in Paradise, Nevada that is a developer and operator of high end hotels and casinos. It was formed on October 25, 2002 by former Mirage Resorts Chairman and CEO Stephen A...
. Some developers indicated that a portion of the slot machines could open as early as April 2010. However, the selection of an operator for the casino was delayed for several months because State officials frequently changed the rules and could not reach an agreement on the winning bidder, prompting Wynn to pull out of the running in November. On January 29, 2010, Governor David Paterson
David Paterson
David Alexander Paterson is an American politician who served as the 55th Governor of New York, from 2008 to 2010. During his tenure he was the first governor of New York of African American heritage and also the second legally blind governor of any U.S. state after Bob C. Riley, who was Acting...
announced that the Aqueduct Entertainment Group would run the casino.
Aqueduct Entertainment Group partners included GreenStar Services Corporation, Turner Construction Company, Levine Builders, The Darman Group, Empowerment Development Corporation, Navegante Group
Navegante Group
The Navegante Group provides services specializing in areas of casino management, development, consulting and executive recruitment. Navegante is based in Las Vegas, Nevada.- History :...
, PS&S Design, Siemens AG
Siemens AG
Siemens AG is a German multinational conglomerate company headquartered in Munich, Germany. It is the largest Europe-based electronics and electrical engineering company....
and Clairvest Group. The appointment generated controversy because of charges that AEG, which had the worst initial bid of those bidding, was allowed to change its bid so that it had the best. Paterson was reported to have demanded that the ownership of an affirmative action
Affirmative action
Affirmative action refers to policies that take factors including "race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation or national origin" into consideration in order to benefit an underrepresented group, usually as a means to counter the effects of a history of discrimination.-Origins:The term...
component. During this time singer Jay-Z
Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...
, through his company Gain Global Investments Network LLC, then got a 7 percent ownership of AEG and charges were made that Jay-Z and Paterson had a personal relationship. U.S. prosecutors investigated the bidding process particularly in the light that AEG won the bid two days after Queens megachurch
Megachurch
A megachurch is a church having 2,000 or more in average weekend attendance. The Hartford Institute's database lists more than 1,300 such Protestant churches in the United States. According to that data, approximately 50 churches on the list have attendance ranging from 10,000 to 47,000...
pastor Floyd Flake (who is also an AEG investor) threatened to switch his support in the 2010 governor race from Paterson to Andrew Cuomo
Andrew Cuomo
Andrew Mark Cuomo is the 56th and current Governor of New York, having assumed office on January 1, 2011. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the 64th New York State Attorney General, and was the 11th United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development...
. New York house speaker Sheldon Silver
Sheldon Silver
Sheldon "Shelly" Silver is an American lawyer and Democratic politician from New York. He has held the office of Speaker of the New York State Assembly since 1994.- Personal life :...
also threatened not to sign off on the deal. Paterson maintained there was no quid pro quo
Quid pro quo
Quid pro quo most often means a more-or-less equal exchange or substitution of goods or services. English speakers often use the term to mean "a favour for a favour" and the phrases with almost identical meaning include: "give and take", "tit for tat", "this for that", and "you scratch my back,...
. On March 9, 2010 Paterson, Flake, and Jay-Z withdrew from further involvement. Paterson said he was recusing himself on the advice of his lawyers. Flake, who had 0.6 percent share said the case was distracting from his other projects. On March 11, 2010, the state withdrew its support for the AEG bid and announced that a new group would be selected through an "expedited, transparent, apolitical and publicly accountable process." Aqueduct Entertainment Group said it intends to sue.
On June 2, 2010, New York Lottery
New York Lottery
The New York Lottery began in 1967 as the third modern U.S. lottery, after Puerto Rico's began in 1934, and New Hampshire's in 1964. It provides revenue for public education, and is based in Schenectady.-History:...
officials announced that six groups were considering submitting bids to develop the racino. These include three of the previous bidders (Delaware North, Penn National Gaming and SL Green Realty) and three new groups (Empire City Casino at Yonkers Raceway
Yonkers Raceway
Yonkers Raceway, founded in 1899 as the Empire City Race Track, is a one-half-mile standardbred harness racing dirt track and New York state-approved slots racino located at the intersection of Central Park Avenue and Yonkers Avenue in Yonkers, New York near the New York City border...
, Genting New York LLC and Clairvest Group). On June 29, three of the firms submitted bids: SL Green/Hard Rock Cafe
Hard Rock Cafe
Hard Rock Cafe is a chain of theme restaurants founded in 1971 by Americans Peter Morton & Isaac Tigrett. In 1979, the cafe began covering its walls with rock and roll memorabilia, a tradition which expanded to others in the chain. In 2006, Hard Rock was sold to the Seminole Tribe of Florida, and...
, Genting Group
Genting Group
Genting Group is an Asian conglomerate. It comprises four listed entities Genting Group is an Asian conglomerate. It comprises four listed entities Genting Group is an Asian conglomerate. It comprises four listed entities (namely holding company Genting Berhad (MYX:3182) and its member companies...
, and Penn National. Clairvest participated in the SL Green/Hard Rock Cafe bid.
The bids from Penn and SL Green were disqualified in July for not meeting requirements. On August 3, 2010, Lottery officials announced they had accepted Genting Group
Genting Group
Genting Group is an Asian conglomerate. It comprises four listed entities Genting Group is an Asian conglomerate. It comprises four listed entities Genting Group is an Asian conglomerate. It comprises four listed entities (namely holding company Genting Berhad (MYX:3182) and its member companies...
's $380 million upfront licensing fee bid, which was $55 million more than the closest bid. Its business model includes targeting flyers stranded at John F. Kennedy Airport. The company said its plans involve 1,200 construction jobs and 800 permanent jobs and will bring the state $500 million a year in revenue. Genting opened the Resorts World Casino New York City on October 28, 2011, with 2,280 gaming terminals.
New York City Off-Track Betting collapse
As a result of the collapse of the New York City Off-Track Betting Corporation on December 10, 2010 the Aqueduct Racetrack saw an increase in patrons for the first time in several years. For example on December 11th one day after NYCOTB's closure the number of patrons who entered Aqueduct's doors increased 61 percent (5,444 customers) compared to last year (3,378 customers). and as a result the New York Racing Association which owns Aqueduct took advantage by offering former NYCOTB customers free bus shuttle service from select former NYCOTB branches to Aqueduct Racetrack with a free hot dog, soft drink and Post Parade program.Track Announcers and TV Personalites
Sportscaster Tom DurkinTom Durkin
Tom Durkin is an American sportscaster and public address announcer specializing in Thoroughbred horse racing. He was the race caller for NBC Sports from 1984 through 2010....
is the chief track announcer
Race caller
A race caller is a public-address announcer or sportscaster who describes the progress of a race, either for on-track or radio and TV fans. They are most prominent in horse racing, auto racing and track-and-field events....
at Aqueduct and the other NYRA tracks. John Imbriale, the veteran NYRA backup and TV host, is the race caller during the winter section of the Aqueduct season. TV personalities have included:
- Harvey Pack (1995-1999)
- Paul Corman (1995-1999)
- John M. VeitchJohn M. VeitchJohn M. Veitch is an American Hall of Fame Thoroughbred horse trainer. The son of U.S. Racing Hall of Fame trainer Sylvester Veitch, his family has been part of the horse-training business for three generations....
(1995-1999) - John Imbriale (1995-2005)
- Jan Rushton (1995-2009)
- Jason Blewitt (2006-present)
- Eric Donovan (2006-present)
- Andy Serling (2008-present)
- Rich McCarthy (1995-1999)
- Mike Watchmaker (1995-1999)
- Michael Sherack (1997-2000)
- Kelly Gecewicz (2000-2005)
- Mary Ryan (1995-1999)
- Maggie Wolfendale (2010-present)
Physical attributes
Aqueduct is the only racetrack located within New York City limits, and houses the New York Racing Association's headquarters. The track has seating capacitySeating capacity
Seating capacity refers to the number of people who can be seated in a specific space, both in terms of the physical space available, and in terms of limitations set by law. Seating capacity can be used in the description of anything ranging from an automobile that seats two to a stadium that seats...
of 17,000 but total capacity of 90,000.
The track itself has three courses: the Main Track (dirt) has a circumference of 1+1/8 mi; inside of this is the Inner Dirt Track (consisting of a special type of dirt over which races are run during the winter months), which is exactly 1 miles (1.6 km) long; and the innermost course is a turf (grass) course, spanning 7 furlongs plus 43 feet (1.4 km). A straightaway chute
Chute (racecourse)
In horse racing, the term chute refers to an extended path increasing the length of a straight portion of a racecourse, particularly an oval-shaped one, allowing races of a specified distance to start at a location other than on one of the turns....
leads on to the backstretch of the Main Track and permits races on the dirt up to 1 miles (1.6 km) long to be run with one turn. The turf course has a diagonal chute that permits races up to 1+1/8 mi long to be run with two turns. Oddly, the stretch on the Inner Dirt Track—1174 feet (357.8 m)—is longer than the stretch on the Main Track—1153 feet (351.4 m)—due to the structure of the turns.
Racing
The following graded stakes are run at Aqueduct:Grade I:
- Carter HandicapCarter HandicapThe Carter Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually in early April at Aqueduct Racetrack. Open to horses three-years-old and up, it is raced over a distance of seven furlongs....
- Cigar Mile HandicapCigar Mile HandicapThe Cigar Mile Handicap is an American race for thoroughbred horses at Aqueduct Racetrack in New York. Run annually in late November, it is named in honor of the U.S. Hall of Fame horse Cigar, who won the race in 1994 when it was known as the NYRA Mile. Renamed in 1997 following Cigar's retirement,...
- Wood Memorial StakesWood Memorial StakesThe Wood Memorial Stakes is an American flat Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds held annually at Aqueduct Racetrack in Jamaica, New York. It is currently a Grade I race run over a distance of 9 furlongs on dirt....
- Gazelle HandicapGazelle HandicapThe Gazelle Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race raced annually at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, New York. Open to three-year-old fillies, it is a Grade I event run over a distance of one and one-eighth miles on dirt...
Grade II:
- Comely StakesComely StakesThe Comely Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually at Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens, New York. Run in mid-April, since 1960 it has been open to three year old fillies who are willing to race one mile on the dirt track. The race is a Grade III event with a purse of $150,000 and...
- Demoiselle StakesDemoiselle StakesThe Demoiselle Stakes is a stakes race for thoroughbred horses open to two-year-old fillies who are willing to race the one and one-eighth miles on dirt...
- Distaff Handicap
- Red Smith HandicapRed Smith HandicapThe Red Smith Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens, New York. A race on turf open to horses age three and older, it is run in the first week of November over a distance of 1⅜ miles ....
- Remsen StakesRemsen StakesThe Remsen Stakes is an American Grade II race for Thoroughbred horse race run annually near the end of November at Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens, New York...
- Top Flight HandicapTop Flight HandicapThe Top Flight Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens, New York. The Grade II event is run in late November and is open to fillies and mares, age three and older...
- Bed O' Roses Handicap
Grade III:
- Long Island HandicapLong Island HandicapThe Long Island Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually in November at Aqueduct Racetrack, in Ozone Park, Queens, New York...
- Aqueduct HandicapAqueduct HandicapThe race is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually at Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens, New York. It was called the Aqueduct Handicap, but beginning in 2009, the name was changed to the Evening Attire Stakes in honor of the great grey gelding Evening Attire. He raced until he was 10 years...
- Athenia Handicap
- Bay Shore StakesBay Shore StakesThe Bay Shore Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually in early April at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, Queens, New York. The Grade III event is for three-year-olds of either gender, and is set at a distance of seven furlongs on the dirt track.In its 49th running in 2009, the...
- Beaugay HandicapBeaugay HandicapThe Beaugay Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run at Aqueduct Racetrack on Long Island in New York in the spring of the year. The Grade III turf event is for fillies and mares three-year-olds and older, and is set at a distance of one and one-sixteenth of a mile.In its 32rd running...
- Bold Ruler HandicapBold Ruler HandicapThe Bold Ruler Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually at the end of October at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, Queens, New York. A Grade III event, it is contested on dirt at a distance of six furlongs....
- Busher StakesBusher StakesThe Busher Stakes is an American Thoroughbred stakes horse race for three-year-old fillies run each February at Aqueduct Race Track in Jamaica, New York and carries a purse of $65,000....
- Cicada StakesCicada StakesThe Cicada Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually in March at Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens, New York.Inaugurated in 1993, the Cicada Stakes was run at a distance of seven furlongs until 2006 when it was modified to six furlongs....
- Excelsior HandicapExcelsior HandicapThe Excelsior Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually during the first week of April at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, Queens, New York...
- Fort Marcy HandicapFort Marcy HandicapThe Fort Marcy Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually near the end of April at Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens, New York. A Grade III race, it is open to horses three-years-old and up and is raced on turf over a distance of 1 1/16 miles. The event currently offers a purse of...
- Gotham StakesGotham StakesThe Gotham Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old horses run in early March at Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens, New York. A Grade III event with a purse of $250,000, it is set at a distance of one and one-sixteenth miles on the dirt...
- Knickerbocker HandicapKnickerbocker HandicapThe Knickerbocker Handicap is an American Grade III race on turf for Thoroughbred horses run each year at Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens, New York. The Knickerbocker is open to three-year-olds and up, and set at a distance of one mile and one furlong...
- Nashua StakesNashua StakesThe Nashua Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually at Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens, New York. Named for Nashua, the 1955 United States Horse of the Year, it was first run in 1975. A Grade II race, it is open to two-year-olds and has been raced over a distance of one mile since...
- Next Move HandicapNext Move HandicapThe Next Move Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually near the end of March at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, Queens, New York. A Grade III event open to fillies and Mares, age three and older, it is contested on dirt over a distance of one mile and one furlong...
- Queens County HandicapQueens County HandicapThe Queens County Handicap is an American Grade III Thoroughbred horse race run annually during the second week of December at Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens, New York...
- Stuyvesant HandicapStuyvesant HandicapThe Stuyvesant Handicap is an American thoroughbred horse race held in the fall of the year at Aqueduct Race Track in Queens, New York. A Grade III event, it is set over nine furlongs on the dirt for three-year-olds and up...
- Tempted StakesTempted StakesThe Tempted Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually since 1975 at Aqueduct Racetrack in Jamaica, New York. Run near the end of October, the Grade III race is open to 2-year-old fillies and is raced on dirt over a distance of one mile . It currently offers a purse of $100,000.The...
- Toboggan HandicapToboggan HandicapThe Toboggan Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually during the first week of March at Aqueduct Race Track in Queens, New York. Open to horses aged three and older, the Grade III event is contested over at a distance of six furlongs on the dirt and offers a purse of $100,000 ...
- Tom Fool HandicapTom Fool HandicapThe Tom Fool Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually in early March at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, New York. It was formerly held at Belmont Park. The race is a Grade III event open to horses age three and up who are willing to race the six furlong distance on dirt.The...
- Turnback The Alarm HandicapTurnback The Alarm HandicapThe Turnback The Alarm Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually at Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens, New York. A Grade III event open to fillies and mares, age three and older, it is contested on dirt over a distance of a mile and an eighth .The event is named for the good racing...
- Valley Stream StakesValley Stream StakesThe Valley Stream Stakes is a flat horse race for Thoroughbred two-year-old fillies. It is raced over a distance of 6 furlongs on dirt at Aqueduct Racetrack in Jamaica, New York.The race has been discontinued.- Winners :...
- Withers StakesWithers StakesThe Withers Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds willing to compete one mile on the dirt. Held at Aqueduct Racetrack every year at the end of April , it is a Grade III event, and offers a purse of $150,000...
- Sport Page Handicap
Non-graded stakes races:
- Affectionately HandicapAffectionately HandicapThe Affectionately Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run at New York’s Aqueduct Race Track in mid-January each year.The one and one sixteenth mile ungraded stakes event is for fillies and mares, three-years-old and up, offering a purse of $75,000 added.In its 36th running in 2011, the...
- Busanda StakesBusanda StakesThe Busanda Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race that is held at Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens, New York in mid-January each year; the 38th outing was held in 2011....
- Count Fleet StakesCount Fleet StakesThe Count Fleet Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race run at Aqueduct Racetrack, located in Jamaica, New York, at the beginning of January each year...
- Damon Runyon StakesDamon Runyon StakesThe Damon Runyon Stakes is an American Thoroughbred turf race for two-year-old horses run at Aqueduct Race Track in December each year.In its 33rd running in 2011, this race is essentially restricted to New York-breds, and is set at one and one-sixteenth miles and offers a purse of $65,000...
- East View StakesEast View StakesThe East View Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens, New York. It is restricted to fillies bred in the State of New York. Run in early December, the raceis contested on dirt over a distance of 11/16 miles....
- Gallant Fox HandicapGallant Fox HandicapThe Gallant Fox Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually at the end of December at Aqueduct Racetrack in the Borough of Ozone Park, Queens, New York...
- Gravesend HandicapGravesend HandicapThe Gravesend Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run at Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens, New York late in the year. In its 50th running in December 2009, the Gravesend will be downgraded from a Grade III event to ungraded status. This race is for three-year-olds and up and set at a...
- Hollie Hughes HandicapHollie Hughes HandicapThe Hollie Hughes Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually since 1979 at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, Queens, New York. A six furlong sprint raced on dirt, it is open to horses bred in the State of New York age three and older. Run in mid February, the race currently offers...
- Interborough HandicapInterborough HandicapThe Interborough Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually at the beginning of January at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, Queens, New York...
- Jimmy Winkfield StakesJimmy Winkfield StakesThe Jimmy Winkfield Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race run at Aqueduct Racetrack on Long Island, New York at the beginning of each year. In its 27th running in 2011, the ungraded stakes event is for three-year-olds and set at a distance of six furlongs on the dirt...
- Ruthless StakesRuthless StakesThe Ruthless Stakes is an American open or non-Graded stakes race held yearly since 1974 at Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens, New York City. Run in January, it is a six furlong thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old fillies carrying a weight of 121 pounds...
- Stymie HandicapStymie HandicapThe Stymie Handicap is an American ungraded dirt race for Thoroughbred horses run at Aqueduct Racetrack every year in March, the last month of winter. For horses three-years-old and up, it's set at one mile and one furlong , offering a purse of $65,000 added.The race is named in honor of Stymie,...
- Whirlaway StakesWhirlaway StakesThe Whirlaway Stakes is a race for Thoroughbred horses held in February at Aqueduct Racetrack. The Whirlaway Stakes is open to three-year-olds willing to race one and one-sixteenth miles on the dirt. It is an ungraded event offering a purse of $100,000 added...
Transportation
The track has its own station—Aqueduct RacetrackAqueduct Racetrack (IND Rockaway Line)
Aqueduct Racetrack is a station on the IND Rockaway Line of the New York City Subway. Located on the west side of Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, Queens, it is served by northbound A trains but is open only on racing days from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m....
station—on the New York City Subway
New York City Subway
The New York City Subway is a rapid transit system owned by the City of New York and leased to the New York City Transit Authority, a subsidiary agency of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and also known as MTA New York City Transit...
, served by the IND Rockaway Line
IND Rockaway Line
The IND Rockaway Line is a rapid transit line of the IND Division of the New York City Subway. It branches from the IND Fulton Street Line at Rockaway Boulevard, extending over the Jamaica Bay, into the Rockaways.-History:...
train. It is only open from 11 am to 7 pm on days when the track is open. However, it is also the system's only single direction station, with a single side platform on the Manhattan-bound side, requiring southbound travelers to exit at Aqueduct–North Conduit Avenue
Aqueduct-North Conduit Avenue (IND Rockaway Line)
Aqueduct – North Conduit Avenue is a station on the IND Rockaway Line of the New York City Subway. Located at North Conduit Avenue near the intersection of Cohancy Street in Ozone Park, it is served at all times by the A train.-Description:...
station, which is located a few blocks to the south. NYRA also operates a free shuttle bus between the North Conduit Avenue station and the Clubhouse entrance.
The Q37 bus route serves Aqueduct and was rerouted on October 28, 2011 to serve the racino. The Q7 and Q11 bus routes also pass nearby.
Popular culture
- In Lucky Number SlevinLucky Number SlevinLucky Number Slevin, renamed for the German/USA DVDs as Lucky # Slevin , is a 2006 crime thriller film written by Jason Smilovic, directed by Paul McGuigan and starring Josh Hartnett, Bruce Willis, Morgan Freeman, Ben Kingsley, Stanley Tucci, and Lucy Liu...
in the beginning of the movie the father and son are at Aqueduct Racetrack.
- There is a scene with Aqueduct Racetrack in the movie A Bronx TaleA Bronx TaleA Bronx Tale is a 1993 American crime drama film set in The Bronx during the turbulent era of the 1960s. It was the directorial debut of Robert De Niro, and follows a young Italian-American teenager as his path in life is guided by two father figures, played by De Niro and Chazz Palminteri...
.
- A scene from A Shock to the SystemA Shock to the SystemA Shock to the System is a U.S. comedy crime thriller film directed by Jan Egleson, starring Michael Caine, Swoosie Kurtz, Elizabeth McGovern, and Peter Riegert...
was filmed in the old Aqueduct Raceway Station.
- Felix and Oscar in an episode of "The Odd CoupleThe Odd CoupleThe Odd Couple is a 1965 Broadway play by Neil Simon, followed by a successful film and television series, as well as other derivative works and spin offs, many featuring one or more of the same actors. The plot concerns two mismatched roommates, one neat and uptight, the other more easygoing and...
" go to Aqueduct.