Aqueduct- No we dont
 

Cancelled their Friday card in anticipation of very cold weather. You would think this is coming off the "icy atlantic" but no its coming from Canada.

Timbo,

It's the high wind warnings that have them more concerned even than the cold.. That from NY Post's John DaSilva... It would be like the flying nannies scene in 'Mary Poppins' if the jocks start getting blown about!

In that case.....they should run 12!

LOL! These jockeys have to be crazy to ride in NY during the winter. I dont blame them at all for calling it off. I wasnt going to play tomorrow anyways, greatly looking forward to Sunshine Millions day on Saturday.

They agreed to ride in NY in the winter. Ten years ago they didn't cancel like they do now.

I was there for a day at Penn National last year with 30-40 MPH winds. Horses were running down the lane like a bunch of drunken sailors.

They should do away with racing during the week in the winter in NY. Just have it open on the weekends. Seriously.

How about not at all? The on-track/NYRA phonebet handle doesn't justify keeping it open. The inner track is a pretty miserable experience.

Strangely... it's my most successful meet year in and year out, probably because I have the control to not bet unbettable/no opinion races like I do at Saratoga.

That's exactly right. They are cancel happy these days. i don't think they should've cancelled on the hot day in Toga either.

That's exactly right. They are cancel happy these days. i don't think they should've cancelled on the hot day in Toga either.

I totally disagree. As someone who does a lot of physical activity outside, it was very dangerous for horses to run in that weather. Even more so than humans. I doubt anyone suffered with a rare cancellation at Saratoga, even those who traveled on bus tours to get here unserstood the severity of the situation. It was dangerously hot that day.

Tim,

Many of the trainers including Mott said they had run in heat like that many times before and they were lost as to the reason not to. They could've run that day. It was in the mid 90's. They run in similar heat in other parts of the country all the time.

The heat index was like 115. It wasn't safe to run.

Well Mott would certainly know more than I regarding horses running. But I think it had as much to do with the humidity and quality of the air than the temperature itself.

My doctor is an active marathon runner and a very good one and he told me not to even think of running outside that day. I know horses and people are different but I heard from some very knowledgable exercise jockeys that it was too dangerous to have racing that day.

Tim,
One of my partners is an exercise rider at AQ, Bel, and Sar.
Just imagine getting out of bed at 4 AM, bundling up as best you can, face mask, and riding one of these at almost 40 mph...into the wind.
Man, it's plenty cold here. Lucky the wood is firing in the stove and fireplace.
I'm not thinkin' of the horses...those folks that ride em earn every single penny!
DTS

The insurance thing is a huge issue, yes.
But I would suggest next time they make a video to show how iunfortunate the jockeys are and show it on HBO...Dont have a jockey narrate the thing driving around in his 60K Mercedes SUV.

Thats like a homeless person asking for money wearing a 2K Calvin Klein suit...

Stupid. Doh!

Mera,
My partner got pinned to a wall while he was tacking up one about a year ago. Took him six months for his back to be good enough so he could get back up on one. Insurance? LOL!
Some of the backstretch people are bigger dreamers than me, a little breeder.
There just has to be more that motivates these folks than the big dollars...cause, between you and me, it ain't there.
I guess it's the "love". BRRRRRR!!!!

Rand,

It must not occur to you that there was a possibility that patrons would have come to the track that day.. Some of them are 'older'.. Some of them would have DIED...

Cancelling was the responsible thing to do...

Ask Hooves and Joey about the day.. We had lunch by the BBQ with Shrek, Donkey, See-Ack-Ahh, Ken Cook and Sonny Taylor...

It was like HELL those few days..

yes , im living in the south and it was like africa hot...the heat and humidity was un bearable..i think gary lost 5 lbs..eating..lol