Oaklawn cancels Thursday card due to rain and freezing temperatures

Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark., has canceled its nine-race Thursday card after more than three inches of rain fell in the area on Tuesday, and freezing temperatures overnight kept the track from being open for training on Wednesday.

“Between the rain and freezing temperatures, it is just impossible for our track maintenance crew to prepare the track for racing Thursday,” David Longinotti, assistant general manager of racing for Oaklawn, said on Wednesday. “We met with horsemen representatives and the stewards and everyone was in agreement that this was the right thing to do. We hope to be able to make a call Thursday about Friday and will be working diligently to have the track ready at least for Saturday and Sunday.”

This is the third weather-related cancellation this meet at Oaklawn, which lost its season opener on Jan. 14. The track was also forced to cancel its first Thursday card of the meet, on Jan. 20.

Oaklawn will be open for simulcasting and gaming on Thursday. Temperatures were in the high 20s on Wednesday afternoon, just a few days after a 70-degree card on Saturday. It was not expected to get above freezing in Hot Springs until Friday.