Why did Oaklawn cancel on 1-22?

[Milkshaker]

I see the Oaklawn cxl for 1/22 is listed on Equibase as "weather."

I just looked at the webcam on the OP site: Bright and sunny, track does not look like it's full of moisture, and there are (presumably racino) customers hanging out enjoying the sunshine near the g'stand rail.

Forecast on weather.gov says it's 46 and slight breeze; calls for zero precip in next 48 hours.

[RXB]

I see the Oaklawn cxl for 1/22 is listed on Equibase as "weather."

I just looked at the webcam on the OP site: Bright and sunny, track does not look like it's full of moisture, and there are (presumably racino) customers hanging out enjoying the sunshine near the g'stand rail.

Forecast on weather.gov says it's 46 and slight breeze; calls for zero precip in next 48 hours.

4-8 inches of snow overnight and this morning in central Arkansas.

[Stillriledup]

I see the Oaklawn cxl for 1/22 is listed on Equibase as "weather."

I just looked at the webcam on the OP site: Bright and sunny, track does not look like it's full of moisture, and there are (presumably racino) customers hanging out enjoying the sunshine near the g'stand rail.

Forecast on weather.gov says it's 46 and slight breeze; calls for zero precip in next 48 hours.

Soft.

Like Charmin.

[andtheyreoff]

Soft.

Like Charmin.

Easy to say that when your health isn't on the line.

[Stillriledup]

Easy to say that when your health isn't on the line.

How would anyone's health be on the line any more than it already is? The op said sunny and clear, what did I miss?

[andtheyreoff]

How would anyone's health be on the line any more than it already is? The op said sunny and clear, what did I miss?

You missed post #2.

[thespaah]

Soft.

Like Charmin.
Did it ever occur to you that not every city on the planet is as well prepared for winter weather as many places in the north or midwest?....As in, there is virtually ZERO money or equipment for snow and ice removal?
In Upstate NY for example, 4-8 inches of snow is a mere flurry. In a place like Charlotte, Nashville or Little Rock, such a storm is crippling.
Ya wanna know what the snow removal equipment is in those places?
Sunshine and above freezing temperatures. Yeah. That's right. They just wait for it to melt.
DO I agree with such non preparedness for unusual winter weather? No. It just is what it is.

[thespaah]

How would anyone's health be on the line any more than it already is? The op said sunny and clear, what did I miss?
The roads are NOT treated. Most are not plowed because these places do not have snow plows.

[Stillriledup]

Did it ever occur to you that not every city on the planet is as well prepared for winter weather as many places in the north or midwest?....As in, there is virtually ZERO money or equipment for snow and ice removal?
In Upstate NY for example, 4-8 inches of snow is a mere flurry. In a place like Charlotte, Nashville or Little Rock, such a storm is crippling.
Ya wanna know what the snow removal equipment is in those places?
Sunshine and above freezing temperatures. Yeah. That's right. They just wait for it to melt.
DO I agree with such non preparedness for unusual winter weather? No. It just is what it is.

There's a LOT more cancellations these days, the 'softness' I was speaking of is the cancellations that happen in today's game that wouldn't happened decades ago.

[NorCalGreg]

Did it ever occur to you that not every city on the planet is as well prepared for winter weather as many places in the north or midwest?....As in, there is virtually ZERO money or equipment for snow and ice removal?
In Upstate NY for example, 4-8 inches of snow is a mere flurry. In a place like Charlotte, Nashville or Little Rock such a storm is crippling.
Ya wanna know what thesnow removal equipment in those places?
Sunshine and above freezing temperatures. Yeah. That's right. They just wait for it to melt.
DO I agree with such non preparedness for unusual winter weather? No. It just is what it is.


Spaah....those cities you mentioned all host major college and pro sports teams...trust me, they can deal with snow, without crippling the town, or having to cancel everything til the snow melts.
The OP cancellation, from what I read, was because they weren't sure of upcoming weather that day, and had at least one stakes race that weekend they wanted to see run.
Anyway, when it comes to animals, they GD better err on the side of safety. If a horse was hurt, weather-related, and it somehow got out MR Track Boss erred on the side of the all-mighty dollar--I pity that man.

[castaway01]

The roads are NOT treated. Most are not plowed because these places do not have snow plows.

You're wasting your time arguing with someone who has absolutely zero knowledge of reality. Block and ignore are the way to go.

[Tall One]

Spaah....those cities you mentioned all host major college and pro sports teams...trust me, they can deal with snow, without crippling the town, or having to cancel everything til the snow melts.
The OP cancellation, from what I read, was because they weren't sure of upcoming weather that day, and had at least one stakes race that weekend they wanted to see run.
Anyway, when it comes to animals, they GD better err on the side of safety. If a horse was hurt, weather-related, and it somehow got out MR Track Boss erred on the side of the all-mighty dollar--I pity that man.


Well said, but truth of the matter is, Charlotte, Little Rock, Nashville, etc.. dont get the snowfall amounts that justify a lot of snowfall removal equipment, or even salt for that matter.

But, when they do, "Katie, bar the door.."

[PaceAdvantage]

There's a LOT more cancellations these days, the 'softness' I was speaking of is the cancellations that happen in today's game that wouldn't happened decades ago.You mean like Aqueduct on MLK day? That one was pretty mind boggling...

[wisconsin]

You mean like Aqueduct on MLK day? That one was pretty mind boggling...


Wasn't that due to high winds?

[PaceAdvantage]

If by high you mean 20mph with possible gusts to 30mph, then I guess so. But in the past, that would have never caused a cancellation...

Temps were pushing 30 degrees during what would have been racing hours...wind chill was around 15 degrees...nothing that would have caused a cancellation back in my salad days of racing...

[wisconsin]

I used to have one of those Turf Digest magazines with a horse race in a heavy snow right on the cover. The track was all snow, like 4 or 6 inches. Those were the days.

[ronsmac]

Opening day at Thistledown in 1976 on the inner dirt track, the temperature was 4 degrees. They never opened in January again.

[cj]

Opening day at Thistledown in 1976 on the inner dirt track, the temperature was 4 degrees. They never opened in January again.

I spent a week at Philly Park in the 80s (actually took leave to bet the frozen, biased track) and the wind chill was well in the negative and temps in the single digits. I literally couldn't stay outside for an entire two turn race it was so cold and windy.

[Mandrake]

Gary Birzer had a lawsuit versus Moutaineer for track condition negligence when he was injured.

Juan Rodriquez sued Aqueduct because of track condition.

Rene Douglas sued Arlington because of polytrack condition.

Gary Boulanger sued Gulfstream because of turf course condition.

The tracks will never argue with jockeys if they don't want to ride, and they shouldn't.

[NorCalGreg]

Gary Birzer had a lawsuit versus Moutaineer for track condition negligence when he was injured.

Juan Rodriquez sued Aqueduct because of track condition.

Rene Douglas sued Arlington because of polytrack condition.

Gary Boulanger sued Gulfstream because of turf course condition.

The tracks will never argue with jockeys if they don't want to ride, and they shouldn't.

Jocks win all those lawsuits? Or let me guess---they won the first couple, the others "settled"......and suddenly jocks refusing to ride for safety reasons, was taken seriously.

[thespaah]

I spent a week at Philly Park in the 80s (actually took leave to bet the frozen, biased track) and the wind chill was well in the negative and temps in the single digits. I literally couldn't stay outside for an entire two turn race it was so cold and windy.
The track record at Meadowlands for 6f( 1:08:0)which stood for years was run on a track labeled as "frozen"...In fact I almost went down that night but the roads up by my residence were just too treacherous.
We had freezing rain and snow on top of that.
Farther to the south, by just 25 miles, it was just rain some froze, but the roads were fine. That's why the track was able to open.

[thespaah]

Spaah....those cities you mentioned all host major college and pro sports teams...trust me, they can deal with snow, without crippling the town, or having to cancel everything til the snow melts.
The OP cancellation, from what I read, was because they weren't sure of upcoming weather that day, and had at least one stakes race that weekend they wanted to see run.
Anyway, when it comes to animals, they GD better err on the side of safety. If a horse was hurt, weather-related, and it somehow got out MR Track Boss erred on the side of the all-mighty dollar--I pity that man.
I live near Charlotte. So I live it. So when I state that these 2" snowfalls will cripple these southern cities, it is first hand knowledge.
We just had a freezing rain/snow event here.
The entire city was pretty much shut down until the main roads were treated and plowed.
The clouds left and the temps reached the upper 40's just in time for the NFC Championship game here....However, the Charlotte public schools were closed Monday and Tuesday.