Saratoga (NY), Finger Lakes (NY), Laurel (MD), and Parx (PA) have all cancelled at least Saturday’s card because of the extreme heat. Monmouth (NJ) however will go on, although with special precautions in place.
Of course, the Haskell is Monmouth’s big deal and big moneymaker. However, given the recent scrutiny of horse racing, I sure hope that nothing bad happens at Monmouth.
Stronach cancelled racing at Laurel Saturday and Sunday.
Good. It’s not just the horses affected either. Most track workers are outside with little or no shade doing physical labor. Common sense move,
I live near Monmouth Park. It’s so unfortunate the Haskell coincides with the hottest day of the summer thus far. I wonder if it will impact the turnout of spectators, too.
Sometimes being so close to the shore has a mitigating influence, but this summer has been one of the hottest and most humid in memory, and I’ve lived in NJ for most of my life.
Crossing my fingers for both horses and humans.
Ellis Park has cancelled Friday’s card. A decision hasn’t yet been make about Saturday.
Vernon Downs and Tioga, Standardbred tracks have pushed their start times on their evening cards to after 7PM on Friday and Saturday as of yesterday. Hopefully the temperature drops with the sun and there’s a good breeze! Our boys are both entered Saturday. Thankfully later on the card.
I bet the beaches will be packed. Do you follow the great whites on Ocearch?
I don’t! Since I’m a local, I try to stay away from crowds this time of year. I’m supposed to have a riding lesson early in the morning, and I’m contemplating scratching that.
Sometime one wonders if the money is that important!
The money is not that important!
The safety and health of the horses, jockeys, and racetrack workers is much more important!
And, it must be added, the image of horse racing.
Question for those experienced/knowledgable about racing: Probably all the horses will be racing on Lasix, which I think dehydrates them. Is this an additional problem because of the heat? Would anyone think about not using Lasix under the circumstances of extreme heat?
(Not trying to turn this into Yes Lasix/No Lasix discussion, just asking about the use of Lasix in extreme heat.)
Were I Maximum Security’s owners,along with the rest of them, I would scratch. Enough scratches and they will cancel.
Obviously track management are not horsemen.
I really hope Monmouth reschedules or the trainers start scratching.
Woodbine has closed today.
And have said they will make a decision by 8:15 tomorrow morning as to whether they will run the Saturday card.
I was in this morning to watch works. There was a nice breeze, but whenever the sun peeked out from behind the clouds, it was HOT!
Yes, Lasix dehydrates them. Most jurisdictions have the state vet administer Lasix about 4 hours away from post time (I’m NOT in NJ, so maybe they differ). The horse stands in a stall with a fan on it until they get called to the paddock before the race. Usually this is just after the prior race runs, about 25ish minutes before post time for their race. The horse gets saddled in the paddock and continues to walk until the Riders Up call goes out. With weather protocols, the horses may remain in the paddock walking longer than usual, and the warm up time on the track is minimized. The race itself is 1-2 minutes long. Then they go back to the barn and get a drink of water and hosed off. Many tracks have hoses along the outside rail so the grooms can hose the horses off as soon as they get unsaddled.
Most trainers have a private vet at the track, and that vet usually checks in with them after the race to make sure the horse is doing OK. If the horse has to go to the test barn, a state vet is present in the test barn.
So for most of the 4 hours, the horse is in a stall in front of a fan, and the amount of time actually exerting themselves is 1-2 minutes. It’s different from say, a kids’ soccer game, or a horse show, where you are exerting yourself in the heat for a longer period of time.
In some extreme weather conditions, the horses will go straight to the gate after the jocks get on and warm up on the track very little. Again, I don’t know what Monmouth’s heat protocols are.
I ran one off the farm at Monmouth back in 2000. Hot, but not at today’s temp. The examining vet was very helpful in detailing where the water hoses were located AND if a horse were to have issues on the barn area pathways, Monmouth has a fire truck they can bring to provide a source of cool water. I’m on the fence about today, but the folks at Monmouth are not amateurs when it comes to dealing with heat despite what peta and punks like that Batuello guy want everyone to believe.
Thanks, Palm Beach, that is exactly the detailed info I was curious about.
And true, On the Farm, very experienced horse people involved.
Probably all will be OK, hoping that will be the case.
Woodbine is running today, with increased precautions for horses, and horsepeople.
I have TVG on in the background and Monmouth is in a holding pattern for Race 1.
Horses are in the paddock but the grooms have been told they may untack if they wish until a decision is mode.
9:30 Mountain Time.
Horses should be heading on to the track shortly for Race 1. :encouragement:
9:37 MST
Monmouth will run 2 races and re-evaluate what they will do for the rest of the card.
The Haskell is Race 12.
DRF says Monmouth will run stakes races starting at 6pm. Haskell post time 8:05pm.
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