Holliday reflects on guiding NYRA into a new era

During a pivotal period in NYRA’s history, when NYRA’s long-term future is shaped by the building of a new business Belmont Parkthe nonprofit couldn’t have a better person to chair its board of directors than an industry leader in the construction and real estate industries like Holliday.

Since Holliday was appointed head of the board in December 2021, he has played a critical role in securing a $455 million loan from New York State to finance the project, as well as drafting plans to convert the cavernous Belmont Park facility into a smaller, state-of-the-art Long Island racehouse with modern amenities to satisfy riders, fans and the local community.

Holliday’s expertise, as well as a large network of business and political contacts, comes from his work as CEO of SL Green, considered the largest commercial real estate owner in New York City since 2004.

One of New York’s most respected business leaders, Holliday has also been an active Thoroughbred owner since 2007 through his Blue Devil Racing Stable. Over those 18 years, Holliday’s stable has produced just over 150 wins and $8.2 million in earnings while campaigning the Grade 1-winning mare. Come dance .

Holliday was elected steward of The Jockey Club in July and also worked with NYRA to bring the Breeders’ Cup to Belmont Park in 2027, which will mark the first time since 2005 that the series will be contested on the famed one-and-a-half-mile oval in Elmont, NY

With Belmont Park set to reopen in the fall of 2026, Holliday discusses some key issues facing NYRA in the following Q&A interview with BloodHorse.

Blood Horse: Before we get into other areas, what was your reaction to the jockey strike at Aqueduct? It generated a lot of attention and attention last week.

Marc Holliday: I was disappointed with the lack of professionalism shown by the jockeys involved in the strike. Their actions negatively impacted the owners and trainers who chose to do business here in New York, and punished gamblers who disabled the card. The problem they cited was a relatively simple procedural change that was added as an integrity measure. They have additionally raised a number of other unrelated issues, but NYRA will not compromise when it comes to the integrity of our racing operations.

BRA: You have been directly involved with the Belmont Park project for years and bring a builder’s perspective to your role as NYRA Chairman. How are things going with the reopening of the branch in September?

MH: It’s going great! It is a large, complex and multi-year project. When you factor in the construction of an all-new racing infrastructure, world-class hospitality and the quality of life improvements we are making on the backstretch, the scale of the overall construction is unprecedented for a horse racing facility in the United States. The fact that we are on track for a September reopening is a testament to the skills and expertise of everyone on site led by (NYRA CEO and President) David O’Rourke and the NYRA management team.

We are building a modern grandstand that will stand the test of time and immediately take its place among the most beautiful and distinctive sporting venues in the world. While the new glass curtain wall building is the centerpiece of the project, it will be complemented by an expanded backyard that will place the park back into Belmont Park alongside a redesigned paddock area and the kind of amenities fans deserve from world-class sports and entertainment destinations.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul has believed in our vision for the future from the beginning, and she deserves tremendous credit for recognizing the importance of Belmont Park and the horse racing industry to this state.

Outside of the building, we are reimagining the property and designing a venue where family, friends and the community come together to make memories for generations to come. As the Governor said at the summit ceremony in October, we are ushering in a new era for horse racing in New York.

BRA: What do you like most about the new Belmont Park and what do you think fans and riders will like most about it?

MH: The building itself is certainly a conscious departure from the previous design and will appeal to both new fans and regular customers. By building a contemporary facility that offers fantastic views of the four new racing surfaces, we are creating an environment that will be exciting and dynamic, whether it’s a weekday in October or the Belmont Stakes (G1) in June. The new building will allow for an abundance of natural light and provide impressive sight lines of the paddock, race tracks and overall grounds. When it comes to the modern amenities, we are of course talking about the high-quality food and drinks, but also the level of service provided the moment a fan steps through the gate.

David O’Rourke and his team have been very focused on that customer experience from the start of this process because it is a differentiator and turns an afternoon at the track into a complete entertainment experience.

As a rider, I think these new race tracks will be the best racing surfaces in the country. These are not just renovations to existing surfaces, but instead we took the time to completely rebuild the main track and grass courts while adding a Tapeta surface for the first time in NYRA history. Every detail has been considered and carefully addressed by (NYRA senior vice president for operations and capital projects) Glen Kozak and his NYRA team, and the result will be spectacular.

BRA: In addition to chairing the NYRA board, you were elected steward of the Jockey Club in July. Can you talk about both roles and why you are interested in these types of positions?

MH: First and foremost, it is a privilege and an honor to serve as President of NYRA. We take seriously our role in shaping the future of the country’s premier racing organization. The history of New York racing speaks for itself, and it is our responsibility to protect that tradition while ensuring future success. That’s why the new Belmont Park is such a critical part of our overall vision. And that’s why we are continually focused on competitive racing, integrity, horse safety and improving the quality of life for the backstretch community.

I will offer the same priorities in my new role at The Jockey Club. Like NYRA, The Jockey Club is an institution that has been vital to the sport since its inception. As horse racing itself has evolved and changed, The Jockey Club has continued to focus on the fundamental issues to bring about positive change for the benefit of everyone involved in racing. This has been true since The Jockey Club was founded in 1894 and remains true today.

In relation to medication and safety reforms, The Jockey Club was instrumental in the establishment of the Horseracing Integrity & Safety Authority. And under HISA’s regulatory regime, equine deaths nationally have been reduced to the lowest rates we have ever seen. There is always more to be done, but HISA is having a real and lasting impact.

In addition, we are deeply involved in how we can best use The Jockey Club’s technology platforms and data to serve industry stakeholders and help grow the sport.

BRA: As an owner you are aware of the high costs of racing in New York. What can be done to reduce costs and make New York more competitive with a track like Kentucky?

MH: Obviously one of the big challenges is that downstate housing is expensive when you talk about Nassau County and all of New York City. The price of labor is significantly lower in Kentucky, as we often hear from trainers, than here in New York. There is very little any individual path or company can do about this broader economic reality, but we can take steps to ease the burden. For example, NYRA already provides housing for up to 1,000 backstretch workers — which is unprecedented — and is considering expanding housing in Belmont for assistant coaches and others. This is something that has never been done on a large scale before.

We also work closely with the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association to reduce costs for the various items needed to conduct a training operation.

And we need to provide trainers and their customers, the owners, with excellent and memorable experiences on track to truly highlight the value of running in New York. That’s exactly what we’ll be doing at the new Belmont, where the racing and training facilities will also be fantastic.

BRA: How do you view the impact of Computer-Assisted Wagering players on betting and what can be done to limit it?

MH: In 2021, NYRA became the first racing organization in the United States to institute a timing restriction on CAW play specific to the winnings pool. The measure has successfully eliminated dramatic swings in late odds and has become a model followed by racetracks outside New York. In addition to NYRA’s win pool policy, our late Pick 5 and Pick 6 pools are reserved for retail players only. These actions represent an approach designed to achieve a sustainable and healthy balance between professional gamblers and the betting public.

To achieve that, it is up to NYRA and the industry to take steps to increase transparency, reduce late-stage odds volatility and improve pool liquidity. We are working with other industry stakeholders on this issue, and you will hear more from us on this topic in 2026.