Weather scrubs races at Oaklawn, Aqueduct, Fonner Park

Half of Saturday’s card at Oaklawn, the whole day of races Sunday at Aqueduct and opening weekend at Fonner Park were called off because of bad weather.

“Due to rainy weather conditions, the remainder of today’s card, races 6-10, have been canceled,” Oaklawn said in a statement posted Saturday afternoon on X. “Live racing resumes tomorrow. First post is at 12:30 p.m. (CST).”

Click here for Oaklawn entries and results.

The $150,000 Dixie Belle Stakes, a six-furlong race for 3-year-old fillies, was rescheduled for next Sunday with entries being taken from scratch Monday.

“Sunday’s card at Aqueduct has been canceled due to inclement weather,” the New York Racing Association said Saturday evening in a text message sent to horsemen.

Click here for Aqueduct entries and results.

At Oaklawn, rain began shortly after midnight Friday local time. It intensified Saturday afternoon, when the National Weather Service said a thunderstorm dumped three-quarters of an inch of rain in less than two hours. A flash-flood watch was posted for Hot Springs, Ark., for the rest of the afternoon and evening.

Oaklawn’s first five races Saturday were run in sloppy conditions with the track sealed. The racing office already had canceled morning training. Later it sent a text saying it hoped to allow stakes horses to train for 25 minutes between the third and fourth races, but that plan eventually was scrubbed.

The weather was expected to improve Sunday at Oaklawn with a clearing sky, a high temperature near 43 degrees and northwest wind blowing 10-15 mph with gusts to 25 mph.

At Aqueduct, Saturday’s card had accelerated post times with snow arriving before the third of nine races. As much as 1 1/4 inches of snow may accumulate by Monday morning. Sunday’s forecast for New York included 17-22 mph southerly wind with gusts to 32 mph.

Eight overnight races were scheduled for Aqueduct on Sunday with no stakes on the card. They will be made up as late extras next Saturday with entries taken Sunday. Eight President’s Day races have been carded for Monday starting at 1:10 p.m. EST.

Fonner Park canceled its opening weekend. The track was scheduled to open Saturday, but racing for both Saturday and Sunday will not happen by agreement of track management and local horsemen.

Click here for Fonner Park entries and results.

The National Weather Service has issued a hazardous weather outlook for an area covering Grand Island, Neb. A band of snow bringing up to two inches of accumulation was expected to end Saturday morning, leaving behind 20-25 mph wind gusting to 35 mph. Saturday's high was expected to be around 19 with a wind chill near zero. It was expected to be five degrees colder Sunday.

Racing is expected to start at Fonner Park next Saturday with a card beginning at 2:30 p.m. EST.