Due to the inclement weather conditions and the snowstorm sweeping the Northeast, live harness racing has been cancelled at Pocono Downs, Yonkers Raceway and Pompano Park for Saturday. Colonial Downs was also forced to cancel their card after the fourth race
.
Pacer’s Clubhouse at Pocono will also be closed on Saturday. Pocono's Grey Ghost and Poltergeist Pace, which was the third race on the Saturday card, will be rescheduled for next Saturday, Nov. 5. Entries for the race will be accepted on Wednesday, Nov. 2 through the race office at 570-831-2126. Those entered in the Oct. 29 race are encouraged to re-enter the special Halloween pace for a purse of $10,000.
Live harness racing resumes at Pocono on Tuesday, Nov. 1 at 6:30 p.m.
Yonkers has cancelled live racing and evening simulcasting for Saturday (Oct. 29) due to the pre-Halloween snowstorm invading the greater New York area. Afternoon simulcasting ends at the conclusion of the Belmont Park program (approximately 5:30 p.m.).
Live harness racing is scheduled to resume Monday, Oct. 31, with first post at 7:10 p.m. Please be advised that the casino shall remain open through 4:00 a.m., as scheduled.
Colonial Downs cancelled the balance of Saturday’s afternoon harness program after the fourth race had been run, courtesy of a steady rain that pounded Central Virginia during the overnite and morning hours that eventually caused unsafe racing conditions.
A total of 10 races had been scheduled Saturday, and the final six were cancelled.
A trio of Virgnia-bred two-year-old prep races were held though before the cancellation. Heavily favoured Blueridge Abigail wired the field in the filly trot in 2:05.3, and boosted her career earnings over the $77,000 level. Blueridge Dancer went coast to coast in the colt pace in 1:59.2, winning by 6-1/4 lengths over Blueridge Wildcat. Hillbilly Desire scored a nice come from behind triumph in the filly pace for owner-trainer Amanda Jackson in 2:00.2. The colt/gelding trot got washed out.
With sunny skies and temperatures in the mid 50’s expected Sunday, Colonial Downs will host a 10-race program beginning at 1 p.m. Three-year-old Virginia-bred races will be featured, including a pair of non-bettors at 12:15 p.m. A total of eight championship races, featuring all the two and three-year-old divisions, will be contested on Saturday, Nov. 5 when the track hosts its annual $300,000 Virginia Harness “Day of Champions”.
Although the track maintenance crew made a sustained effort throughout the afternoon and evening, the rain in South Florida won out again forcing a cancellation of the Saturday evening, October 29 live harness racing program at The Isle Casino Racing Pompano Park. A flood advisory remained in effect for the weekend from the National Weather Service. It was the second cancellation in October attributed to rain at the track.
Racing is scheduled to resume on Monday evening, October 31 with a Pick 4 carryover of $1,597 and the Mares Open Pace on the agenda. One of the biggest annual cards, the 2011 Super Night for the Florida Standardbred Breeders And Owners Association (FSBOA), is set for next Saturday, November 5 with estimated purses of $400,000 going on the line for the state-bred two and three-year-old trotters and pacers.
Post time at Pompano is 7:05 p.m. EST every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday. Tuesday racing returns on November 22 when the four nights per week schedule takes effect through March of 2012 at The Winter Capital Of Harness Racing.