Citing unsafe conditions caused by a severe thunderstorm, jockeys at Saratoga Race Course refused to continue riding Saturday afternoon and the final six races of the program were cancelled.
The six races cancelled Saturday included the Grade I $500,000 Fourstardave H. for older turf males and the Grade II $200,000 Adirondack S. for 2-year-old fillies. The Fourstardave has been rescheduled for next Saturday, Aug. 20, while the Adirondack has been rescheduled for Friday, Aug. 19. The races will be redrawn and are open to the original nominees.
It was the 11th time in the last 30 years that all or part of a card at Saratoga was cancelled. The last time that a program ended early was on Sept. 4, 2011.
The storm rolled through Saratoga Springs shortly after 2 p.m., dumping more than a half-inch of rain. The fourth race, a route race on the inner turf course, was delayed by a half-hour. Following the fifth race, a seven-furlong maiden race for 2-year-old run on the sloppy, sealed main track at 3:41 p.m., jockeys informed management that the track was too wet and they were finished riding for the day. The New York Racing Association said its paid attendance for the day was 31,528.
Racing is scheduled to resume Sunday. Another strong storm hit the track at 6:30 p.m. and caused a delay at the Fasig-Tipton New York-Bred Sale. More storms were expected overnight Saturday into Sunday.
According to research done by Allan Carter, historian at the National Museum of Racing and the co-author of “150 Years of Racing in Saratoga,” 18 days of racing were cancelled between 1869 and 1893. There were no complete card cancellations between 1894 and 2005. Carter found two other notable non-weather cancellations: August 4, 1885 when the body of recently deceased former President U.S. Grant's body was transported from nearby Wilton, through Saratoga Springs to Albany, where it was transferred by train to his final burial in New York City; August 10, 1923, the day of President Warren G. Harding's funeral. Harding died on Aug. 2.
Recent racing cancellations at Saratoga Race Course:
August 7, 1986 – Final four races were cancelled after a rainstorm.
August 28, 1988 – Final two races cancelled after rainstorm. The feature, the John A. Morris – now the Personal Ensign – was run as an exhibition race the next day, closing day.
September 2, 1998 – Final two races cancelled after rain storm. The featured Saranac was run on Sept. 5.
August 28, 2004 – Final race of day was cancelled after the Travers was run during a violent storm.
August 2, 2006 – Entire nine-race program cancelled due to high heat and humidity.
August 8, 2008 – Final eight races cancelled after the second race following a severe storm that washed out part of the track.
August 27, 2011 – Entire program cancelled the day after the Travers in advance of Hurricane Irene.
September 4, 2011 – Final race of the day was cancelled due to tornado warnings and darkness.
July 30, 2015 – First race of the day, a steeplechase, was cancelled due to rain.
August 10, 2016 – First race of the day, a steeplechase, was cancelled due to rain.
August 13, 2016 – Final six races cancelled after a rain storm.
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
