Flamboro Downs has become the fourth North American Standardbred racetrack to announce that it has cancelled its scheduled program of live racing for Thursday (January 4) due to winter conditions.
"After consultation with our Track Veterinarian and Representatives, the Association has cancelled tonight’s card of racing due to the extreme cold in the forecast during scheduled race times," Flamboro's John Stolte has told Trot Insider. "The health and welfare of our horses is of utmost importance. We are sorry for the cancellation."
Officials with Dover Downs, Freehold Raceway and Monticello Raceway all announced earlier in the day that their track’s respective Thursday cards had been cancelled.
The cancellations mean that only one North American Standardbred track offered a program of live pari-mutuel racing on Thursday (the Meadows in Pennsylvania).
Officials with the Meadowlands Racetrack and Winners Bayonne OTW have announced that both of the locations will be closed for simulcasting on Thursday. Both locations are scheduled to re-open for simulcasting on Friday (January 5) at 11:00 a.m.
In addition to the Thursday cancellations, pre-emptive cancellations for Friday (January 5) racing activities have already started to be announced. For full details, click here.