Delaware surface examined

Delaware Park canceled its live card Monday in order to give a new track superintendent time to work over the dirt course, which had been the subject of complaints for several weeks, the track's general manager said Monday.

Delaware stewards canceled the last four races of the track's 10-race card Sunday after jockeys complained that the dirt surface was unsafe.

"Last week, I heard jockeys complain that the track was too deep and too dry, and yesterday, the complaints were that the track was too deep and too wet," said the general manager, Bill Fasy, on Monday. "So I get conflicting stories."

The Monday card was canceled after the new track superintendent, Ken Brown, reviewed the course Monday morning, his first day of work at the track, and said it was uneven.

Brown, a former assistant to longtime Maryland Jockey Club track superintendent John Passero, replaced Bob Beaubien, Delaware's superintendent since last September.

Fasy said he had approached Brown several weeks ago about the job, and that Brown's first day of work was scheduled when the two parties worked out employment details.

Fasy said he was optimistic that racing would resume on Tuesday.