Aqueduct cancels Saturday, Sunday cards due to ongoing frigid conditions

The scheduled Saturday and Sunday cards at Aqueduct have been canceled due to the extreme cold that continues its grip on the Northeast, the New York Racing Association announced late Thursday afternoon.

Saturday’s 10-race card was to consist of four stakes, topped by the $200,000 Withers, a Kentucky Derby points-scoring race. No make-up dates for that race or the other three stakes on the program – the Ruthless, Ladies, and Toboggan – were announced. NYRA also needs to find a new date for the Interborough Stakes, a race previously scheduled for Jan. 24.

NYRA is consulting with its horsemen’s group and New York breeders to come up with a schedule that would likely add make-up dates in the coming weeks. Any additional days require approval from the New York Gaming Commission. NYRA was scheduled to go to a three-day race week beginning the third week of February.

There has not been live racing at Aqueduct since Jan. 23. Both of last weekend’s cards were canceled due to cold and, on Sunday, a snowstorm. With arctic temperatures and brutal wind chills continually forecast, NYRA announced on Monday that it was not going to race Wednesday through Friday. It did take entries for Saturday and Sunday with the hopes of racing.

NYRA has taken entries for next Wednesday and plans to race five days next week, weather permitting.

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