Prairie Meadows, Fairmount, Ellis, Canterbury adjust to heat

Prairie Meadows was added Sunday to the list of tracks whose racing schedules were affected by the extreme heat gripping the Midwest.

Management at the Altoona, Iowa, racecourse said it would delay the start of Sunday’s card and postpone Monday’s races until Thursday.

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“Prairie Meadows ... in collaboration with the Iowa Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association, Iowa Thoroughbred Breeders and Owners Association, Iowa Quarter Horse Racing Association, Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission and American Quarter Horse Association have agreed due to extreme heat forecasted for the area (Sunday and Monday) to move (Sunday’s) first post from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. CDT and to move (Monday’s) race card to Thursday with post time to be determined,” the track said in a Sunday news release.

Forecasts of extreme heat already led Ellis Park, Fairmount Park and Canterbury Park to make schedule changes.

Fairmount Park canceled races scheduled for Tuesday. Seven races had been drawn for the afternoon card.  Track general manager Vince Gabbert said he expected the races to be made up as extras.

Ellis Park called off live racing Sunday and Monday. Sunday’s full card has been rescheduled for Friday. Monday’s races will be offered back as extras, and an additional day of racing will be added Aug. 8.

Canterbury Park pushed its seven-race Sunday program back five hours to start at 6:10 p.m. CDT. Then it was forced to call off its last two races because of lightning in the area of the Shakopee, Minn., track.

Monmouth Park and Delaware Park called off their Friday cards before going ahead with racing Saturday. Colonial Downs delayed its first post by one hour until 5 p.m. EDT on Friday because of extreme heat.