Racing Cancellations

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. -- It was quiet trackside at Saratoga Race Course Friday morning. Everyone had a day off after the New York Racing Association canceled Friday's card after Thursday's was run. The reason was the havoc expected to blow through the area thanks to the remnants of Tropical Storm Debby. The heavy stuff was predicted to come later in the afternoon. Horses, however, did not get the memo. They still went to work. As did the trainers and exercise riders and grooms and hotwalkers. "No days off," Hall of...

The New York State Racing and Gaming Commission (NYSGC) issued clear regulations regarding racing and training at Belmont Park based on the Air Quality Index (AQI) Thursday afternoon, in light of the ongoing poor air quality due to the Canadian wildfires, according to a press release from Scott Palmer, the state's Equine Medical Director. The press release reads: "If the AQI is between 151 and 200, no horse will be allowed to workout or race unless their attending veterinarian certifies that the horse will not be adversely affected by the...

Due to unprecedented winter conditions forecast for Southern California through the upcoming weekend, Santa Anita Park has cancelled Saturday and Sunday's racing programs prior to entries being taken for either day. The track had previously postponed the Friday racing card, which was a makeup day not originally on the calendar. Blizzard warnings have been issued for the San Gabriel Mountains behind the historic track, with snowfall expected at the 1,000 foot level. It is the first blizzard warning ever issued in Los Angeles County. The storm, which is expected to...

Woodbine's Sunday card was cancelled due to extreme wind. "After monitoring the weather forecast closely, Woodbine Entertainment announced today that out of an abundance of caution and in the interest of everyone's safety, Thoroughbred racing at Woodbine Racetrack has been cancelled due to the extreme weather warning for Toronto issued by Environment Canada," WEG said in a release. The Frost King S. will be rescheduled, and racing will resume Thursday.

Wednesday's meeting at Ayr was abandoned after the fourth race after heavy rain was found to have caused patches of false ground. The Scottish track had received more than an inch of rain on Tuesday and it continued to fall during the afternoon on Wednesday, causing conditions to deteriorate. "Jockeys came in after the third race and reported they felt a bit of false ground," Clerk of the Course Graeme Anderson told Racing TV. "We had a look but it just seemed to be a wetter area, a heavier patch....

Following the fourth race Saturday at Ellis Park, heavy rain swept into Henderson, Ky., forcing the track to cancel the final five races on the card. Rain the night before had already caused Saturday's turf races to be taken off the grass. "In the best interest of safety for our jockeys and horses, we are calling off the remainder of the Saturday racing program," said Ellis Park general manager Jeff Inman. "The rain is supposed to let up this evening, and the forecast calls for beautiful weather for Sunday's Kentucky...

With only a handful of tracks still racing due to the coronavirus, wagering on the sport took a huge hit in the month of March, falling by 22.58% over 2019 figures. A total of $731 million was bet during the month, a $214 million drop from 2019 figures. The numbers were released Friday by Equibase. "Obviously, it was a tough month," said NTRA President and CEO Alex Waldrop. "As damning as these number appear, the No. 1 priority right now is the health and safety of our employees. We're like...

Churchill Downs announced the closure of Turfway Park Wednesday due to the coronavirus pandemic, citing the "Healthy at Home" Executive Order 2020-257 issued by Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear. With the Turfway racing season scheduled to run through Saturday, March 28, the remainder of the meet has been cancelled. Turfway Park's backside will remain open for training because it falls under the "life-sustaining business" category as it provides "food, shelter, and other necessities of life for animals."