As of 10pm, the following info regarding the heat for Saturday is posted on accuweather.com for Elmont, NY, Oceanport, NJ, Wilmington, DE and Bensalem, PA....

Elmont, NY is the least severe, under an "Excessive Heat Advisory" until 6pm Saturday. A heat advisory is issued when the combination of heat and humidity is expected to make it feel like it is 100 to 104 "for two consecutive hours".

Oceanport, NJ is under a more severe "Excessive Heat Warning", until 8pm Saturday. An excessive heat warning means that a prolonged period of dangerously hot temperatures will occur (versus "two consecutive hours" under the "advisory"). It goes on to say that "the combination of hot temperatures and humidity will create a dangerous situation in which heat illnesses are likely.

The "Heat Index Values", predicted to be between 100 and 104 for Elmont, are forecast at between 105 and 110 for Oceanport.

For Wilmington, DE and Bensalem, PA, both of which are also under an Excessive Heat Warning, the predicted Heat Index Values are "up to 110". Their Excessive Heat Warnings are in effect until 6am Sunday.

The following was posted for the care of animals under an Excessive Heat Warning:

"Please make sure pets have access to plenty of cool water and a well ventilated area. The most humane thing to do is bring them into an air conditioned place".

They don't cover whether or nor horses should race, but that last sentence provides a pretty good indication of what they would advise regarding the care of horses for Saturday.

Based on the above info, I would be surprised if Monmouth ran tomorrow. Remember that when Saratoga ran on opening day last year, Monmouth cancelled a couple of cards in a row due to the heat.

Sounds like Belmont has a better chance to run, but we'll just have to see.

Vinman

Your post and the information about horses on wikipedia differ (but I suppose the steppes are by definition sub-artic, so maybe your post is not that different?):

Now, I know horses are a long way removed from rhinos, but still they started out in the jungle (which I presume was hot and humid) and the modern horse continued evolving on drier land in the harsher climatic conditions of the steppes. And of course the Arabian horse is well-known for its ability to adapt to the desert. The wild mustangs in the desert of Nevada seem to fare OK. It seems to me horses can adapt to a wide variety of conditions. And I would presume that if they are properly conditioned they can perform strenuous activity in a variety of extreme conditions. One endurance race in middle east requires horses to cover 125 miles in two days. The Tevis Cup in California is 100 miles. The winner is not always the first horse to finish. The horse has to pass a vet inspection. Sometimes it is the "Best Conditioned" award that riders covet the most and not the first place trophy.

http://www.saudiaramcoworld.com/issu...g.in.dubai.htm

Why? Because weathermen are so accurate?

Maybe it won't be quite as hot as they are predicting.

What's the huge problem TO YOU with waiting until the last minute? If anything, it's the horsemen who would/should be more pissed about the last minute thing, as they are prepping their horses for raceday.

I understand that you as a fan/bettor will be inconvenienced with a last minute cancellation, but I would rather they take all available info into consideration before cancelling than act like your run-of-the-mill racino and cancel at the drop of a hat.

The main reason is that horses are treated with Lasix and some horses are vanned in at a cost to the owners among other things.

Did not Belmont announce the day before and cancel on Thurs June 21 for this same reason of excessive heat?

As a fan it does not inconvenience me at all, I have 20 other tracks left to play plus some great harness at night this Saturday.

It was the same weathermen that gave the forecast for Thurs. June 21.
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David-LV

I have been consistent in my belief that cancelling days out because of a predicted weather report may not be the best move.

Are horsemen free to scratch their horses for any reason they want? Is there a penalty for scratching when the horse is not injured? I would think there is NOT a penalty because plenty of horsemen enter their horses at multiple tracks on the same day and then choose which race to run in.

The reason I ask is because what if a horseman is shipping in from out of town and is concerned that the races will be canceled. What if he spends $500 or a $1,000 to ship and then at the last minute there is no racing?

Maybe this is just the cost of doing business?

Or maybe the horseman should enter his or her horse at multiple tracks in case of cancelation so that he or she will have a place to run their horse?

Horsemen must face these types of questions every summer.

This has been the worst summer in my memory in terms of heat-related cancellations.

Most likely due to two things other than the obvious (the heat!):

1) Racinos and their willingness to cancel should someone light a match off in the distance

2) Racing's shattered image and the unwillingness of today's track management to take even the slightest risk that running may endanger the lives of horses because of the heat (this is a good thing of course)

Belmont cancelled between 8 and 9am that Thursday....not the day before.

Just the facts maam.

They put it on nyra.com around 10am. Maybe they could improve on that.

Spoke to the Belmont racing office 10 minutes ago. They are running today.

Also spoke to Monmouth.....no final decision yet.

Spoke to Brian Skirka at Monmouth just now. Should have a decision by 10am.

Just called Monmouth. They're racing today.

Appreciate the info, Vinman. :ThmbUp:

My plan, not to bother handicapping of betting an of the tracks in the heat wave. Looking at some of the results this past week, I think heat is affecting form, so why push it?

I'll see what the day brings track by track and play what looks playable at reasonable weather. Scratches come so late these days, I don't bother looking at a card before the 3rd race anymore. :rolleyes:

I just spoke to MTH and they told me that they are racing as of now and they have had at least 10 scratches from owners not going to ship their horses in today.

Just got the scratches and there are a total of 13 scratches which is about the normal amount.
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David-LV