NYRA postpones 2 turf stakes to avoid Sunday rain

The New York Racing Association has rescheduled a pair of turf stakes originally scheduled at Aqueduct card on Sunday.

Keith McCalmont of NYRA announced the scheduling change in a Thursday post on X, citing a forecast of inclement weather on late Saturday night and Sunday as the reason for the change.

The original plan for Sunday's card included the $125,000 Glen Cove at six furlongs on grass and the Grade 3, $150,000 Knickerbocker at 1 1/8 miles on turf. The Glen Cove has been rescheduled for Thursday, and will be drawn Saturday. The Knickerbocker will now happen Friday, with a draw Sunday.

As of Friday at 12:45 p.m. EDT, the National Weather Service predicts between a quarter and half an inch on Saturday, another half to three quarters of an inch of rain Saturday night, and less than a tenth of an inch of new rain Sunday morning.

Despite rescheduling the stakes, Aqueduct will still conduct racing on Sunday. The track drew a nine-race card including three grass races for Sunday. The turf races include a pair of maiden races as well as an an allowance-optional claiming race for New York-breds. All three races drew overflow fields, including main-track only entries in case the races are rained off the turf. First post for that card is scheduled for 12:35 p.m. EDT.