53 • TIMES, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2014 ‘BIG A’ DOLLED UP FOR MEET Aqueduct, the NYRA also operates Belmont Park, which holds spring/summer and fall meets; and Saratoga Race Course, known for its elite, 40- day summer meet. Attendance at Aqueduct significantly dwindled over the past few years, with daily turnout last year averaging at about 5,000. The track’s handle—the amount of money wagered by the public—remains high, however, due to off-track wagering made by phone or online, or at simulcast facilities. Given the need for continued improvements at Belmont and Saratoga—and that Aqueduct and Belmont Park are located eight miles apart—some NYRA board members suggested shuttering Aqueduct and renovating Belmont to accommodate yearround racing. During the NYRA Board of Director’s Sept. 29 meeting, Kay indicated that “the executive management team continues to confer with various stakeholders and experts as part of its efforts to study and develop and recommendations” regarding prprivatizing the NYRA, including developing a business plan with a “three-year financial component, including 2014 actual performance.” The plan will be submitted to the governor and state legislature in April 2015—and it figures to clarify the long-term vision for Aqueduct Racetrack. Aqueduct’s 200 acres is owned by New York State; NYRA previously claimed it owned all three racetracks, but ceded those claims several years ago in order to receive an operational loan and a 25-year extension of its racing license. Early in 2013, Gov. Andrew Cuomo floated the idea of constructing the nation’s largest convention center at Aqueduct, but that plan fell through after negotiations failed with Genting Americas, which operates Resorts World New York. Most recently, the New York City Football Club reportedly expressed interest in building its new soccer stadium adjacent to Aqueduct. Questions Loom Over Racetrack’s Future by Robert Pozarycki Racing returned to a spruced-up Aqueduct Racetrack last Wednesday, Oct. 29, but the longterm future of the South Ozone Park venue remains clouded in uncertainty. The New York Racing televisions; decorative, equinethemed Association (NYRA) touted $14 murals around the million in enhancements around facility; a repainted first-floor; the facility “designed to further and a new sports bar and enhance the guest experience and simulcast facility called improve the quality of racing.” Longshots. Aqueduct, as profiled in On the backstretch, where numerous published reports, fell hundreds of horses are stabled, 10 into disrepair in recent years, a new international stalls were built product of NYRA’s previous to separate thoroughbreds financial woes. shipped from overseas for review “Investing $14 million in and inspection. The NYRA stated capital funds over the course of this will allow for “a more the past 16 months, we have streamlined process that will transformed the very look and continue to support long-term feel of Aqueduct Racetrack, and growth in international equine tried to further enhance the competition.” experience for our horseplayers The organization also cleaned and our fans,” said NYRA and repainted barns and made President and CEO Christopher capital improvements to the Kay in a statement. dormitories where backstretch The improvements include a workers reside. new high-definition video Even with those toteboard; the installation of improvements and others made, Trakus, a digital system to track questions loom over whether the each horse in a race; airport-style races will keep running at seating; more than 100 flat-screen Aqueduct years from now. At previous meetings of the NYRA Reorganization Board—the statesupervised panel tasked with reforming the organization and preparing it for re-privatization— members openly questioned the economic viability of keeping Aqueduct open. NYRA’s finances have improved thanks largely to the infusion of revenue from Resorts World New York Casino, which operates in Aqueduct’s former grandstand. Per an agreement with the state, NYRA and the state’s thoroughbred horsemen receive portions of the casino’s proceeds. Under current law, Resorts World can only operate as long as Aqueduct hosts live thoroughbred racing. The only racetrack located entirely within New York City, Aqueduct holds races six consecutive months each year, generally from late October until the following April. In addition to Oz. Park Murder Suspect Cuffed In Sunshine State Allegedly Shot Man In Dec. Street Beef by Robert Pozarycki Queens detectives recently traveled to Florida to pickup the suspect who allegedly shot and killed a man during a fight in Ozone Park last December, authorities announced last Tuesday, Oct. 28. David Haridat (at right), 31, who resides in Lancaster, Pa., was arrested in Miami and flown back to New York for arraignment in the murder of Gerrard Edwards, 23, of Liberty Avenue. Edwards was gunned down early on the morning of Dec. 22, 2013 during a dispute that broke out at the corner of Liberty Avenue and 112th Street. As previously reported, Edwards and several friends were hanging out on the street when a group of men, including Haridat, allegedly tried to attack them. Seconds later, according to information provided by the Queens District Attorney’s office, Haridat’s brother—Ritchie Haridat, 29—allegedly handed him a .22-caliber firearm retrieved from a nearby vehicle. David Haridat reportedly then fired a number of shots at Edwards, striking him in the torso repeatedly. The suspects then fled in an unknown direction. Members of the 106th Precinct and EMS units responded to the scene. Edwards later died of his injuries at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center. Ritchie Haridat was reportedly picked up in February and remains held on $500,000 bail awaiting trial on murder and other weapons possession charges. During his Oct. 14 arraignment in Queens Criminal Court, David Haridat was ordered held without bail by Queens Criminal Court Justice Gia Morris, it was noted. Want Access To Marijuana Oil Say Cannabis Product Could Help Save Lives by Noah Zuss A Queens lawmaker wants the Department of Justice (DOJ) to permit New York State access to an emergency medical marijuana treatment that could save the lives of children with epilepsy and seizure disorders, it was announced last Wednesday, Oct. 30. Though Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed a medical marijuana bill into law in June, Rep. Joe Crowley wrote in a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder on Oct. 27 urging that access to an extracted oil know as cannabidiol be allowed immediately while the state program is set up, which could take 18 months, he stated. The law was signed and put into effect this summer, but Crowley wants the state to be permitted to import the oil from other states, it was noted. Crowley’s support for the measure came from meeting with families of children suffering from diseases in which cannabidiol has been found to be effective at treating. This need is highlighted by the deaths of three children since July from complications related to epilepsy that were shown to be treatable with cannabidiol, Crowley stated. The oil has no psychoactive side effects, and is widely used in other states, he claimed. “As a father of three kids, I can’t imagine the pain so many families are going through, and I knew I had to take action to help them seek relief,” Crowley said in a statement. “A demonstrated health care treatment is available, and it is only right for children who are suffering to have access to it. I urge the Justice Department to move as quickly as possible on this commonsense solution and allow New York to help these children and families.” Crowley believes children suffering from these diseases who have not responded to other remedies should be allowed access to the lifesaving treatment, he said. The letter was signed by 17 state Congressional delegation members on both sides of the aisle, Crowley noted. “People in New York are unnecessarily suffering and dying because of our broken marijuana policies,” said Gabriel Sayegh, managing director for policy and campaigns for the Drug Policy Alliance. “We are pleased that so many members of the New York Congressional delegation from both parties have recognized this and called on the Department of Justice to help critically ill children. As a state and as a nation, we cannot allow more people to die needlessly because of antiquated marijuana laws. “We urge the Department of Justice and the Cuomo Administration to do everything they can to swiftly get medicine into the hands of those who desperately need it,” Sayegh added. Reportedly, New York has sought access to treatments like cannabidiol from other states, but has been denied due to federal interpretation of restrictions on transporting it across state lines. If approved by the DOJ, this request would allow children suffering from lack of access to needed treatments in the interim, it was noted. “Every day makes a difference for children with these severe disorders. Given this urgent public health need, we urge you to allow New York the ability to import finite and strictly controlled amounts of cannabidiol,” the lawmakers wrote to Holder. Follow The Times Newsweekly On Twitter @timesnewsweekly
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