Kentucky Downs pounded by heavy rain, postpones opening day

The opening-day card at Kentucky Downs, scheduled for Saturday, has been postponed until Wednesday because of hazardous weather conditions, track officials announced Friday morning. The 10-race card will not be redrawn and is being moved in its entirety to Wednesday.

With the remnants of Hurricane Harvey having slowly moved in a northeastern direction, several inches of rain pounded a wide area that includes the Kentucky-Tennessee border region where Kentucky Downs is located. The rain was forecast to move through some time Saturday, followed by mostly pleasant conditions into Wednesday, except for the possibility of more rain Tuesday.

The 10-race opener includes four straight stakes (races 6-9): the $150,000 One Dreamer; the $350,000 Juvenile Fillies; the $400,000 Tourist; and the $350,000 Juvenile.

Kentucky Downs perhaps could have made up the card on Sunday or Monday, but Ellis Park is ending its summer meet on those dates and Kentucky Downs officials did not want to infringe on its fellow in-state track.

Kentucky Downs will run four other dates at its boutique meet: Sept. 7, 9, 10, and 14. Churchill Downs starts an 11-day meet Sept. 15.