Track officials at Batavia Downs Gaming and Hotel have announced that the card of live racing which had been scheduled for this coming Sunday (August 12) has been cancelled, pending New York Gaming Commission approval.
Simulcast wagering and the gaming floor will be open regular hours.
“We have only been able to card 32.5 races per week since we opened,” the track’s director/GM of live racing, Todd Haight, said. “And with no New York Sire Stakes scheduled next week, we didn’t see any way we could put together four race cards.”
Haight pointed out that the track’s group sales department has packed the Clubhouse for Wednesday (August 15) and that its annual Breast Cancer fundraiser will take place on Friday (August 17), so not racing on either of those two nights was not an option.
"Our plan is to add the Open trotters to our Saturday (August 11) racing schedule. That should make for a spectacular Saturday program that would include both the Open pace and Open trot. The top-class trotters would then race back on Friday (August 17)," Haight said.
Further adjustments include switching horses that have been racing on Sunday to Wednesday (August 15) to fill that program along with the Open mares.
Then, moving forward, the Friday program (August 17) will be comprised of horses that have been racing on Monday, plus the return of the Open trotters to their regular day.
The Saturday (August 18) program should remain unscathed, although a few races may have to move to Sunday (August 19).
"We may have to scratch and claw to fill that program, but we are going to do whatever we can to get that card to go," Haight said
"Once the New York Sire Stake races return on Wednesday (August 22), they will remain for four straight Wednesdays, so the cards should fill until the track reduces its schedule to the normal Wednesday, Friday and Saturday rotation."
If the race office is able to fill 33 races per week, the track will conduct 10 races on Wednesday, 11 races on Friday and 12 races on Saturday. If more races need to be added, Batavia Downs will do whatever it takes to get all horses raced.
Horsemen and woman looking to enter horses at Batavia Downs are asked to reference the updated condition sheet that is now available.
Haight also said that even though there will be no live racing at the track this Sunday, the ‘Dollar Sunday’ promotion will continue. It has been highly advertised, it’s very popular, and the track thinks it’s best to continue it from noon until 4 p.m. at the Homestretch Grille.
(Batavia Downs)