A pair of horses from the barn of Mark Hennig were the first to train over the newly installed Tapeta inner track at Belmont Park as the surface was opened to training for the first time Monday morning.Private Flight (More Than Ready), with exercise rider Ricardo Fragoso, and his stablemate Mo Kreesa (Mo Town), Cirilo Paredes in the saddle, were the first to take to the Tapeta at 5:35 a.m. ET.“The riders seem pleased with the way they galloped and said it was like they were on a very soft cloud–it was like galloping on air,” Hennig said. “The Tapeta track offers horses a change of pace. It's good when we can change things up mentally for them–one day on Tapeta, one day to the main track, one day to the training track and one day turned out in the round pen–it's a great experience for the horses.“If we can throw new days and new experiences for them, I think it keeps them brighter and happier in the long run.”Former trainer Michael Dickinson is the president of Tapeta Footings and was on hand to watch the first horses gallop over the surface.“We're delighted with the track,” Dickinson said. “The benefits of Tapeta are safety and consistency. The surface will vary a little bit with the weather, but it won't vary as much as turf or dirt. In my experience as a trainer, I would always train them on Tapeta because you always knew what you were going to get.”Owing to the construction of the new grandstand, training on the Tapeta will be limited to light galloping and jogging Mondays and Tuesdays from 5:30 to 7 a.m. Beginning this Wednesday, July 1, the main track will be open for training Wednesday through Sunday from 5:30 to 8 a.m. Timed works will be permitted on both surfaces at a date yet to be fixed.“Opening these fully rebuilt surfaces marks a significant milestone in the redevelopment of the racing and training infrastructure at Belmont Park,” said Andrew Offerman, NYRA Senior Vice President for Racing and Operations. “We thank our racing participants for their support during this process as we look forward to the return of racing on Sept. 18.”The highlight of the opening-day program is the return to Belmont of the GI Jockey Club Gold Cup, a Breeders' Cup Challenge race for the Classic and expected to draw the contest's defending champion, Forever Young (Jpn) (Real Steel {Jpn}). First horses on the new Tapeta at Belmont @TheNYRA pic.twitter.com/3IwjLuczbO— Hennigracing (@Hennigracing) June 29, 2026The post Belmont Tapeta Track Opens For Training appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.