Tag: smoke

Air Quality Concerns Cause Midwest Cancellations

Dangerous air quality conditions caused by wildfires in Canada have forced the cancellation of the live racing programs at Hawthorne Race Course in suburban Chicago and at Horseshoe Indianapolis further to the south and east.

“Based on the poor air quality in Indiana today's races have been canceled,” a tweet from the track read. “This decision was made mutually with our horsemen based on the safety of the participants in our racing program coming first. A decision on bringing today's races back will be made shortly.”

Track announcer John Dooley tweeted a graphic from WRTV in Indianapolis indicating that the air quality index (AQI) in the state capitol was a 'very unhealthy' 257 as of 8 a.m. ET Wednesday. Racing is scheduled to return Thursday at 2:10 p.m. ET.

 

 

 

“Safety and consideration for our equine and human athletes always comes first, no matter what the circumstances are,” said Eric Halstrom, Vice President and General Manager of Racing. “We are fortunate to have a great partnership with our racing organizations, and as a group, we decided this decision was the best for everyone involved. We even want to take into consideration the safety of our racing fans who enjoy sitting trackside to watch the horses.”

The AQI as of 7 a.m. ET in Cicero, Illinois, was also in the very unhealthy range at 218, according to Hawthorne's Jim Miller, prompting track officials to take a similar decision. Miller said racing is expected to return Thursday.

Racing at Belterra Park near Cincinnati, at Presque Isle Downs in Erie, Pennyslyvania, and at JACK Thistledown outside of Cleveland was also called off.

Tracks on the eastern seaboard were also forced to cancel racing over the last few weeks, the result of wildfires in Eastern Canada.

 

 

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How Does Wildfire Smoke Affect Horse Health?

With over 100 wildfires raging in multiple states, both humans and animals are breathing unhealthy air containing smoke and particulates. These particulates can cause burning eyes, running noses and breathing complications like bronchitis. Smoke can also exacerbate heart and lung issues like congestive heart failure and asthma or heaves.

Though the composition of smoke differs with what is being burned, the particulate matter in the smoke is of the most concern. “Particulate” is a catch-all term used to encompass the mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets in the air. Particulates from smoke are very tiny, enabling them to get to the deepest part of the airways.

Horses that breathe particulates from smoke may have reduced lung function in addition to irritated eyes and respiratory tract. Particulates can also reduce the lung's ability to remove foreign materials like bacteria and pollen.

A healthy horse's respiration rate should be between 12 and 24 breaths per minute. If the horse is breathing consistently more than 30 breaths per minute, is having difficulty breathing, has flared nostrils, is coughing deeply or has abnormal nasal discharge, a veterinarian should be called.

To protect horse health during wildfires:

  • Limit exercise the horse is smoke is visible
  • Reduce exposure to dust by feeding dust-free hay or by soaking hay before feeding
  • Offer fresh water close to grain or hay; water will assist in clearing inhaled particulates
  • Contact a vet if the horse is coughing or having trouble breathing
  • Give a horse ideally 4 to 6 weeks to recover from airway damage from wildfire smoke once the air had cleared

Read more at UC Davis Veterinary Medicine Center for Equine Health.

The post How Does Wildfire Smoke Affect Horse Health? appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Wildfire Smoke Forces Postponement of Grants Pass Downs Opener

Heavy smoke from wildfires in the northwest portion of the country has blanketed Grants Pass Downs at the Josephine County Fairgrounds in southern Oregon, causing track management there to postpone the scheduled opening day of the autumn meet from Sep. 14 to Sep. 21.

“We are committed to protecting the health and safety of our guests, human and equine athletes, community of horsemen and women, and Grants Pass Downs staff,” stated a track-issued press release published by FOX26 News. “Until the smoke from the fires decreases to a safe level, we will not conduct training nor racing. Our hearts are with the members of our community who have been impacted by these historic fires, and our sincere gratitude goes out to the firefighters battling the blazes and first responders working to keep our communities safe.”

According to the Josephine County website, people in the county who must evacuate because of the fires are being directed to report to the fairgrounds property where the track is located.

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Golden Gate Fields Cancels Again Saturday Due to Smoke

For the second day in a row, Golden Gate Fields in Northern California cancelled live racing Saturday due to smoke in the area. Recent wildfires in California and Oregon have been well documented in the news, and the Bay Area, where Golden Gate Fields is located, has been one of the hardest hit locales. Air quality has been deemed unsafe for both horses and humans.

After cancelling both Sept. 11 and Sept. 12 due to the conditions, Golden Gate’s next day of live racing is scheduled to be Sunday.

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