Monday program cancelled at Indiana Downs

Heavy rains in central Indiana throughout the day and a racing surface deemed unsafe resulted in the cancellation of Indiana Downs’ Monday racing program. According to presiding judge Tim Schmitz, horsemen competing in the night’s program made the decision to forego racing for the evening.

“The drivers and trainers met with the Indiana Standardbred Association president (Jeff Edwards) in the paddock and said they weren’t going to race,” Schmitz explained. “They cancelled three minutes before I had to.”

Prior to the cancellation starter Todd Nixon made a few test passes through the stretch with horses from the first race, simulating a start. Schmitz said that Nixon reported difficulty picking up the needed speed at the start.

“The starting gate couldn’t pull away from the field,” he added.

Indiana Downs general manager Jon Schuster said that training and qualifiers for Tuesday have been cancelled. The track crew will use the time to perform some minor resurfacing, adding material in some trouble spots.

“The safety of the horsemen and of the horses is of the utmost importance to us,” Schuster explained. “The track has been very, very good this year. However, with the type of material we have at our disposal, a quarter or half inch of rain can make things difficult. We’re trying to change the nature of the materials out there.”

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