Wood Memorial Day at Aqueduct Racetrack on April 9th - $1,000,000 Purse

The $One Million Grade 1 Resorts World New York Casino Wood Memorial, scheduled for Saturday, April 9, serves as the final prep race on the NYRA circuit for the prestigious Triple Crown, comprising the Kentucky Derby, Preakness, and Belmont Stakes.


Mentioned as a probable contender for the Resorts World New York Casino Wood Memorial is 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.


The spectacular race card will also include The Carter (G1), The Bay Shore (G3), and The Comely (G1). NYRA will offer a $500,000 Guaranteed All Stakes Pick 4 on races 7 - 10.


All guests will receive a free commemorative Uncle Mo bracelet.


Post time is 1:00 pm EDT.

Genting to Present $1 Million Resorts World New York Casino Wood Memorial

The purse for this year’s renamed Resorts World New York Casino Wood Memorial, Aqueduct Racetrack’s premier race, will increase to $1 million through a presenting sponsorship from Resorts World New York to The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA), officials from both groups announced today.

“We are honored to be a part of this historic race that has been a staple of Queens for decades,” said Mike Speller, President of Genting New York. “From the beginning, one of our goals in building the new casino facility at Aqueduct has been to strengthen and support New York’s storied horse racing industry. Through this partnership with NYRA, we have taken a significant step in that direction. This year’s Resorts World New York Casino Wood Memorial is sure to be a spectacular event that will bring out racing enthusiasts and make all of New York proud.”

The Grade 1 Resorts World New York Casino Wood Memorial, scheduled for Saturday, April 9, serves as the final prep race on the NYRA circuit for the prestigious Triple Crown, comprising the Kentucky Derby, Preakness, and Belmont Stakes.

“Resorts World has been a great partner and this sponsorship reflects the depth of their ongoing commitment to New York racing,” said NYRA President and CEO Charles Hayward. “We are eagerly anticipating the opening of the Resorts World New York Casino, a cutting-edge facility that will help create stability for the state’s thoroughbred industry and reinvigorate the community surrounding Aqueduct Racetrack.”

Mentioned as a probable contender for the Resorts World New York Casino Wood Memorial is 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.

The 1 1/8-mile Wood Memorial has long been a springboard to Derby success. Beginning with Triple Crown winner Gallant Fox in 1930, 11 Wood winners have gone on to take the Run for the Roses, among them Triple Crown heroes Count Fleet (1943), Assault (1946) and Seattle Slew (1977), as well as Twenty Grand (1931), Johnstown (1939), Hoop Jr. (1945), Foolish Pleasure (1975), Bold Forbes (1976), Pleasant Colony (1981) and Fusaichi Pegasus (2000). In addition, Secretariat finished third in the 1973 Wood before going on to sweep the Triple Crown, culminating with his incomparable 31-length victory in the Belmont.

Resorts World New York’s Aqueduct redevelopment project – expected to open later in the Summer – will include 4,525 Video Lottery Terminals, two new restaurants, a two-story sports bar and other structural improvements to the area adjacent to the racetrack including a new parking structure, renovations to the existing racetrack facilities and the construction of an enclosed walkway from the MTA subway stop to the casino entrance.

Once fully operational, Resorts World New York is expected to permanently employ about 1,000 workers in the entertainment, hospitality, security and food-service fields.

Resorts World New York Condenses Schedule to Ensure Dynamic Late Summer 2011 Opening & Full Completion of Facility by End of Year

Addition of almost 1,000 Video Lottery Terminals to stage 1 opening; Main entry, Porte Cochere, International Buffet; and Parking Garage to now be included in first stage of opening;

Resorts World New York today announced a condensed opening schedule that will allow the new casino at Aqueduct Raceway to open its doors with far more components in place months earlier than expected.

Under the schedule, 2,500 Video Lottery Terminals will be operational – rather than the 1,600 originally slated – when the casino opens in the late Summer.

“This accelerated schedule will allow for not only a more robust opening and better customer experience with more food and beverage facilities than previously planned, but the completion of the facility – including the operation of all 4,525 Video Lottery Terminals -- by the end of 2011, three months ahead of schedule,” said Mike Speller, President of Resorts World New York Casino.

With the accelerated schedule – which will now take place in two phases, rather than three – not only will more VLTs be operational when the first stage launches, but the main entry, the porte cochere, the international buffet and the parking garage will be part of the initial opening, as well.

Other elements opening in phase 1 will include:

• A seven-outlet food court
• The 360 Bar and entertainment space
• A grab-and-go quick food outlet

Elements originally slated for phase three including the building of a skybridge connecting the “A” train station to the casino entrance will now be completed by the end of 2011, rather than the Spring of 2012.

Other elements opening in stage 2 include:

• The remaining 2,000 VLTs
• Two fine dining restaurants, Genting Palace and RW Prime
• An additional grab-and-go quick food outlet.
• Colony lounge and the VIP Crockfords Casino
• Another Bar with views of our first floor entertainment bar

Once fully operational, Resorts World New York is expected to permanently employ about 1,000 workers in the entertainment, hospitality, security and food-service fields.

Casino Construction and Round the Clock Simulcasting at Aqueduct by Brian Jackson - New York Horse Racing | Examiner.com

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You knew it was coming, folks. Well, guess what? It's come. The backstretch at the Aqueduct Racetrack is closed. I know - considering the season, it's kind of anti-climactic. Aqueduct Racetrack is closed for training and will not reopen until April 14, 2011. All things considered, it's good news for the New York Horse Racing Association. The closing is to allow for more construction on a new casino (Genting's Resorts) that will certainly help to subsidize the New York horse racing industry at large.

The 350+ horse stables being affected by the closing have been moved to NYRA's Belmont Park, and will return when construction is finished. The move will allow uninhibited construction of the casino to take place, which means the sooner New York residents will have slot machines and casino table games to supplement their horse racing wagers. At least that's the theory. Despite the closing, Aqueduct remains an active place with live simulcasting taking place round the clock.

The NYRA is also staying active during this harsh winter season, and has begun hosting a new "dark day" television show called "The NYRA Network Presents Raceday". Airing strictly on dark days on Channel 71 of the NYRA television network (generally Monday's and Tuesday's), the new show will cover the latest happenings in the horse racing industry (What else, right?). Hosts include NYRA TV Director and race caller, John Imbriale, along with various NRYRA TV analysts.

Helping to fill the void left by the NYCOTB Racing Network (NYCOTB was shut down late last year), the NYRA Network Channel 71 airs racing content for 12 hours straight: 11 am to 11 pm. When NYRA's live races are wrapped up, the channel airs highlights from the most popular simulcast signals around the country. Check it out!

Genting Wants More Than 4,500 VLTs by James M. Odato - Capitol Confidential

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It has yet to open its Aqueduct race track racino, but Genting officials this morning already started talking about currently illegal expansion to allow for Las Vegas-like casino games.

Michael Speller, president of Genting’s proposed racino in Queens — named Resorts World New York — told a Senate racing and wagering hearing that he foresees no obstacles to opening the new facility by midsummer. But he told the Senate panel that it would be swell for Aqueduct, the state and the other racinos statewide to offer table games.

He said the competition in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Connecticut can all offer such casino games, and it would be wise for New York to do the same to keep revenues in the Empire State, Speller said. Genting entered into a contract with the state to become a Division of the Lottery franchise offering up to 4,500 video lottery terminals at Aqueduct.

“I agree with you,” said Senate Committee on Racing, Wagering and Gaming Chairman John Bonacic, R-Mount Hope. He said he would like a constitutional amendment to allow for such additional gambling. He also mourned the fact that past attempts to change the Constitution to accommodate for casinos all failed.

“I have visited those places you refer to, and they’re all eating our lunch,” Bonacic said.

Other participants in the hearing on the future of gambling in New York included the New York Racing Association, which suggested that Off-Track Betting corporations should be working with NYRA for operational efficiencies and that the racing and wagering model in New York must be restructured to avoid disaster. NYRA President Charles Hayward said that there should be no concern that the Saratoga meet won’t occur this year. Last year his calls for financial help from the state set off speculation that the summer racing schedule would be in jeopardy. Others spoke about their interest in having the OTBs consolidate. Bonacic said he suspects a bill calling for that will emerge.