Due to heavy, sustained precipitation, Sunday's flat meet at Fair Hill, part of the two-day "Fair Hill Turf Showcase" over Memorial Day weekend, has been canceled.
After several days of rain in the region, racing officials and horsemen scrutinized the turf course on Saturday morning and, out of an abundance of caution, decided to abandon the event.
Tickets purchased for Sunday will be refunded.
"Horse and jockey safety is paramount," said Bill Knauf, President and General Manager of The Maryland Jockey Club. "Given the speeds at which thoroughbred flat horses compete, especially at sprint distances, we want to make absolutely sure the ground is ideal."
Sunday's eight-race program included three sprints at 6 1/2 furlongs.
Live racing will resume on Memorial Day Monday with a nine-race card featuring steeplechase and timber racing, as well as a 2-mile flat race restricted to horses that have competed over jumps.
"The forecasted rain over the next few days in Fair Hill, Maryland, is likely to leave the turf course labeled 'good to soft' for steeplechase racing," said Bill Gallo, the Director of Racing for the National Steeplechase Association, the governance body for steeplechase racing in America. "Those conditions are, in fact, ideal for steeplechase races. In general, softer turf creates a safer environment for our horses, with a statistically lower risk of injury. The pace of our races is considerably slower than in flat racing."
The first post time on Monday is 1 pm ET. The public gates open at 10:30 am.
"We look forward to a competitive and exciting day of jump racing on Monday, confident that the Fair Hill Racecourse will be in excellent shape," Gallo said.
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