Belmont Café upgrades simulcasting center

The New York Racing Association, Inc. recently announced several upgrades made to Belmont Park’s Belmont Café simulcasting center, which will be in place by Saturday, April 9, on Resorts World New York Casino Wood Memorial Day, Aqueduct Racetrack’s $1 million premier race, which has been a decades-long staple in Queens.

  The updates, funded by NYRA, include 65 new flat-screen televisions and 12 additional mutuel machines, allowing for more teller and self-service betting opportunities. The updates will bring the café’s TV total to 145, and mutuel machine total to 68. The facility also implemented a second ATM machine. Dan Silver, director of communications and media relations for NYRA, said NYRA had been planning the upgrades since February. “We have seen a steady increase in the amount of people coming to the Belmont Café, and we wanted to put these upgrades in place to enhance the Café’s customer amenities and service,” Silver said.

Silver said the additions were implemented by existing NYRA personnel. “The only real cost involved was the purchase of the additional televisions,” he said, explaining the recently installed mutuel machines were already in the association’s inventory.

  Silver said NYRA is expecting nearly 1,000 patrons to come to the Belmont Café for the Resorts World New York Casino Wood Memorial, which is the final Triple Crown preparatory race for Queens native Mike Repole’s undefeated Uncle Mo. The 3-year-old son of Indian Charlie won the 2010 Eclipse Award for Champion Two-Year-Old Male, and is the current favorite for the Kentucky Derby. Additionally, the Casino Wood Memorial includes the Grade 1 Carter Handicap for sprinters, the Grade 3 Bay Shore for 3-year-old sprinters, and the Grade 3 Comely for 3-year-old filly milers.

“We wanted these upgrades to be in place by (the Resorts World New York Casino Wood Memorial),” Silver said. “The Belmont Café has been very popular with our fans, with attendance approximately 500 to 700 on the weekends … we expect the Belmont Café to become one of the best year-round simulcast centers in the country.”

  The Belmont Café provides food, drinks and self-service machines to patrons, as well as the ability to bet with tellers. Parking and admission at the Belmont Café are free. NYRA offers a shuttle service, which runs from the Queens Village Long Island Railroad stop to the Belmont Café on live racing days.

On Saturday, April 9, fans at Aqueduct Racetrack and the Belmont Café will receive an "Uncle Mo" bracelet to commemorate the champion’s appearance in the Resorts World New York Casino Wood Memorial.

The bracelets will come in two styles reflecting the colors of owner Mike Repole’s silks – royal blue with orange “Uncle Mo” text, and orange with royal blue “Uncle Mo” text. They will be distributed to fans at the entry turnstiles, as supplies last.