winter weather

Winter weather conditions on the East Coast and the Midwest continue to impact racing operations at a variety of racetracks. Parx Racing in suburban Philadelphia cancelled Monday's scheduled live program in the morning hours and by mid-afternoon, word was circulating that the live card for Tuesday was also called off. Temperatures well-below freezing prompted weekend cancellations at Aqueduct and Laurel and although temperatures in the region flirted with the 40-degree mark on Monday, the thawing and re-freezing of racing surfaces is surely causing nightmares for track superintendents. Temperatures had once...

Oaklawn Park, forced to cancel a number of race dates this month--including this coming weekend's live racing--due to winter weather, has moved the entire GIII Southwest S. card to Saturday, Feb. 3. A GI Kentucky Derby points race, the $800,000 Southwest is worth 20 points to the winner and points on a scale of 10-6-4-2 to the second- through fifth-place finishers. Although the Southwest was originally scheduled for Jan. 27 and racing is currently scheduled for that date, several stakes races have been reshuffled at the Hot Springs oval due...

As a result of inclement winter weather expected this weekend in the Midwest, Oaklawn Park has cancelled the weekend's Feb. 4-6 cards and will bring them back in March, the track reported Thursday. The GIII Bayakoa S., which was set to be run Saturday, will be brought back Saturday, Feb. 12 as part of an 11-race card that also includes the GIII Razorback H. Three Thursday cards--Mar. 17, 24 and 31--have been added in March to make up the postponed dates.

Officials at Oaklawn Park tweeted Thursday afternoon that racing and training would be canceled for Friday, Jan. 21 owing to extreme cold temperatures in and around Hot Springs. According to the tweet, the track intends to open for training Saturday, Jan. 22 and racing will go forward, with a first post time of 1 p.m. Central time. Officials anticipate returning to normal schedules Sunday, Jan. 23.

Hollywood Gaming Mahoning Valley Race Course was forced to move its scheduled Tuesday, Jan. 18 race card to Friday, Jan. 21 due to the lingering effects of Winter Storm Izzy, which dumped some eight-plus inches of snow in the Youngstown, OH area. It was also forced to cancel Monday's card due to the storm. First post for Friday's card will be 12:45 p.m., and live racing is scheduled to resume at Mahoning Valley at the same time Wednesday.

Laurel Park cancelled live racing again Friday, Jan. 7, due to winter weather that disrupted the area and later added that racing would be cancelled through the weekend, according to a press release from the Maryland Jockey Club (MJC). A Monday snowstorm had resulted in the cancellation of training earlier in the week and the Maryland track also cancelled live racing Thursday. A fresh storm was sweeping through the area Thursday night and Friday morning, with Aqueduct also cancelling Friday's card. Laurel will remain open for simulcasting, as will Pimlico,...

Laurel Park, the Maryland track with a new dirt surface that was hit by winter weather this week, cancelled the Jan. 6 nine-race card due to the continuing effects of the winter storm, announced the Maryland Jockey Club (MJC) Thursday. The storm brought sleet, freezing rain, and snowfall to the area. Laurel, as well as Pimlico, Rosecroft, and the MJC OTB Network, will remain open for simulcasting. Live racing at Laurel is scheduled to resume Friday, Jan. 7. First post is 12:25 p.m.

With much of the country plagued by continued winter weather, Laurel Park's Friday card is the latest to fall victim to freezing temperatures and unsafe racing conditions. With freezing rain, snow, and ice in the Mid-Atlantic region Friday, Feb. 19, the Maryland Jockey Club (MJC) has postponed live racing Friday and will run the entire 10-race card Thursday, Feb. 25. The MJC's OTB network, including Pimlico Race Course, will remain open for simulcasting. However, the weekly national Stronach 5 wager has been cancelled as Laurel was to have hosted the...

Due to the frigid temperatures and out of concern for the safety of its equine athletes and jockeys, Oaklawn has received permission to cancel Friday's nine-race card. Oaklawn had already canceled the Saturday-Monday cards based on the weather forecast and rescheduled three graded stakes--the GIII Bayakoa S., GIII Razorback S. and GIII Southwest S.--to Saturday, Feb. 20. Oaklawn will remain open for casino gaming and simulcast racing. Live racing is scheduled to resume Thursday, Feb. 18.

With extreme cold temperatures and the possibility of ice in and around Hot Springs, Arkansas, Oaklawn park has cancelled its live racing programs from Saturday, Feb. 13 through Monday, Feb. 15, and will reschedule the three graded and one listed stakes that were set to take place. "The weather forecast does not look promising this weekend between the ice and frigid temperatures, so out of consideration for the safety of the horses, our horsemen and fans, we wanted to make this call as soon as possible," Oaklawn General Manager Wayne...

The New York Racing Association, Inc. has moved the entirety of Sunday's live racing program at Aqueduct Racetrack to Monday due a winter storm slated to impact the New York metropolitan area throughout the day on Sunday. The National Weather Service (NWS), which aligns with NYRA's independent weather services, is calling for heavy snow with accumulation of five to nine inches as well as wind chill values between 20 and 25 for the downstate New York region on Sunday. As a result, NYRA has moved Sunday's eight-race card to Monday...