According to a tweet from Spectrum News Albany reporter Marisa Jacques on Aug. 26, there is some question about whether the Saratoga race meet will continue on as scheduled after two fatal breakdowns on the Travers race card.
NYRA, HISA officials, NYS Gaming Commission and the NYS Equine Medical Director are meeting and will make a decision about all of the Saratoga racing surfaces before tomorrow card. CEO David O'Rourke says they look at the data and decide how/if to move forward. @SpecNews1Albany
— Marisa Jacques (@MarisaJacquesTV) August 26, 2023
According to her Twitter feed, Jacques is on site at Saratoga Race Course for coverage of Travers Day.
The Saratoga tracks have had an unusual amount of rain this summer, with showers on Thursday and Friday.
Earlier on Aug. 26, New York State Gaming Commission equine medical director Dr. Scott Palmer told The Blood-Horse that an extensive study is underway into the circumstances of each of the breakdown at Saratoga this season. Palmer said that it's possible racing could be suspended at the track, but that would depend on what the data shows.
“It's certainly on the table but we need evidence to do that,” Palmer told The Blood-Horse's Bob Ehalt. “It has to be an evidence-based decision. We're not talking about optics here. Optics are very straightforward but that's not the world we live in. We make decisions based on evidence and we don't have any evidence that we should stop racing at Saratoga.”
There have been eight racing fatalities at the track so far this year, in addition to four training fatalities.
The post After Two Breakdowns On Travers Day, Will Race Meet At Saratoga Continue? appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
