Storm shuts Fort Erie

Racing at Fort Erie Racetrack was canceled for Saturday and Sunday following an early-season snowstorm that began Thursday afternoon. The storm knocked out power in much of the Fort Erie region and it is not expected to be restored until Sunday.

Up to two feet of snow, stirred up by 60-mph winds, was dumped in the area.

Fort Erie's communications director, Daryl Wells Jr., said Fort Erie looked as if a hurricane had passed through.

"It's an unbelievable situation," said Wells. "The paddock area will need a couple of days to be cleared. It's totally full of downed trees and branches - impassable."

If power was restored, the track planned to run Saturday's races on Monday and Sunday's races on Tuesday. No additional entries will be taken for those days.

* Woodbine canceled the last five races on Friday's nine-race card because of winds gusting up to 30 miles per hour. Racing was scheduled to resume Saturday.