Photo:
Turfway Park TV / Andrea Furger
Too wintry to race at one track Friday. Not wintry enough at
another.
In the middle of a storm that dumped 2.3 inches of snow on
the Cincinnati area, Turfway Park made it through 5 of 9 races before calling
it a night Friday.
“The remaining five (actually four) races on our card have
been canceled due to the inclement weather,” the track said in a post to X nine
minutes after the running of the fifth race.
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If only that snow and ongoing cold snap could have been sent
over to Switzerland. Only hours before the Turfway storm, organizers of the
annual White Turf Races on frozen Lake St. Moritz announced Sunday’s card was
canceled, because it was too warm.
“During today’s track inspection with a drone flight, the
organizers discovered various cracks and damp patches that have not frozen
overnight,” a news release said Friday. “Against all hope, it is therefore not
possible to guarantee a track ready for racing on Sunday. As a result, the
safety of horses, riders and drivers cannot be guaranteed, and all races (Sunday)
have to be canceled.”
Forecasters said the temperature would rise to 42 degrees,
when the third consecutive Sunday of races on the ice would have included the
featured 1 1/4-mile, $113,541 Grosser Preis von St. Moritz.
Back at Florence, Ky., the sky cleared Saturday, when racing
was scheduled to go forward starting at 5:55 p.m. EST. The National Weather
Service forecast a low temperature of 18 degrees at Turfway, where the $125,000
Dust Commander Stakes is scheduled to start at 8:55 p.m. EST.