Today\'s Metro Section of the New York Times: \"Short on Cash,State Hastens Plan
For Casino in the City.\"
The casino they are talking about is the Aqueduct \"Racino\". The article features
artist\'s renderings submitted by the 3 entities interested in operating the
casino: Capital Play ( a partnership which includes the Mohegan Sun people),
Delaware North (they operate the \"Racino\" at Saratoga Harness)and a third group
which includes the Hard Rock Cafe people.
The project has been neglected for nearly 5 years, but now the State is facing a
large budget deficit so...
The artist\'s renderings all feature a very futuristic looking Aqueduct, which
reminds me of an old hardboot\'s comment when told that plans were afoot to
renovate Latonia (now Turfway); the hardboot spat and said \"You can\'t polish a
turd\".
Whether Aqueduct can ever be made to resemble these artist\'s renderings is
besides the point, as is the argument of whether Racinos are good for racing. The
Racinoization of Aqueduct might boost the quality of NY racing, which certainly
can not get much worse.
Speaking of the quality of racing, I saw a list of the runners who are being
considered to face BB in the Preakness, leading me to wonder if a Triple Crown
race is eligible to be downgraded by the graded stakes committee.