Belmont’s Thursday Card Cancelled Amid Air Quality Issues

[Wandering Eyes]

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) has canceled live racing Thursday at Belmont Park due to the poor air quality conditions forecast that will continue to impact Long Island and all of New York State throughout the day, the organization said in a release early on Thursday morning.

As previously announced, morning training was canceled Thursday at both Saratoga Race Course and Belmont Park. The conditions that necessitated the cancelation of training are likely to persist this afternoon and into the evening. As a result, Thursday's twilight racing program, which featured a 3:05 p.m. ET first post to kick off the 2023 Belmont Stakes Racing Festival, has been cancelled.

“Safety is paramount as we navigate this unprecedented situation,” said NYRA President & CEO David O'Rourke. “NYRA will actively monitor all available data and weather information as we work toward the resumption of training and racing both here at Belmont Park and at Saratoga Race Course. Based on current forecast models and consultation with our external weather services, we remain optimistic that we will see an improvement in air quality on Friday.”

Thursday's co-featured GII Wonder Again S. and Jersey Girl S. will be re-scheduled for Sunday, June 11. Those races will be brought back as extras for Sunday's card and re-drawn today.

The indoor facilities at both Belmont Park and Aqueduct Racetrack will remain open for simulcasting on Thursday.

Live racing is scheduled to resume on Friday at Belmont Park with first post scheduled for 12:50 p.m.

The post Belmont’s Thursday Card Cancelled Amid Air Quality Issues appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

View the full article