Fort Erie cancels Tuesday’s closing-day card due to weather

Heavy rain throughout the Niagara region, combined with high wind gusts expected as a result of Hurricane Sandy, have prompted Fort Erie racing officials to cancel live racing for Tuesday, which was the final scheduled card of the 2012 meeting.

“Due to the severity of the storm forecasted by the weather networks, and out of respect to the safety of the horses and jockeys, we regretfully make this announcement,” Rick Cowan, the track’s chief operating officer, said in a press release Monday morning.

Fort Erie currently is scheduled to close for good Dec. 31, but horsemen are holding out hope that a report from Ontario’s Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs could contain good news.

That report was scheduled to be released by month’s end.

Live racing to take place Monday will be run on a race- by- race basis as long as the track surface is deemed safe for both jockeys and equine athletes.

Tuesday’s date will not be made up.