Kentucky Downs Cancels, Reschedules Races
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Kentucky Downs cancelled its final eight races Sept. 10 after jockeys decided not to ride on a rain-softened turf course they felt was unsafe.
The Franklin, Ky. track soaked up 1 1/2 inches of rain that only halted Thursday morning, but track officials hoped their turf course would have time to dry out. After running two races, however, and without a dirt course, the jockeys decided they would not ride the rest of the card. Both divisions of the One Dreamer Stakes were part of the cancellations.
"It was just more than the course could handle," Kentucky Downs president Corey Johnsen said of the moisture on the turf. "It's very difficult to determine that, though, without running a couple races... It's totally (the jockeys') call... They all wanted to ride, but were concerned with the course."
Johnsen said six of the eight canceled races would be made up Sept. 16 and Sept. 19, but that horses would need to be re-entered. Post time for those days (a Wednesday and Saturday) will be moved up to 12:05 p.m. CDT from the originally-scheduled 1:35 p.m. start time. Each day will now carry 13 races.