Horse racetracks take different tacks during heat
August 2, 2011COLLINSVILLE, Ill. (AP) - Several horse tracks have canceled race days because of extreme heat. Some animal-welfare groups wonder whether there should be racing at all when it's so hot.
The industry has no guidelines about when heat should force a day's race card to be canceled. The National Thoroughbred Racing Association says decisions are made on a track-by-track basis. At least 10 U.S. horse tracks and one in Canada canceled or postponed race days during one sweaty stretch last month.
At Illinois' Fairmount Park, jockey Rafael Hernandez retreats to an air-conditioned lounge and his ride gets sponged with cold water after their victory as the heat and humidity make it feel like it's 105 degrees. Fairmount's chief says the track takes safeguards, including limiting the exposure of horses and jockeys to the heat.