by Tim Bojarski, for Batavia Downs

Batavia, NY — Track officials at Batavia Downs Gaming and Hotel announced today that racing for Sunday (Aug. 12) has been canceled, pending New York Gaming Commission approval.

Simulcast wagering and the gaming floor will be open regular hours.

“We have only been able to card 32.5 races per week since we opened,” Director/GM of Live Racing Todd Haight said. “And with no New York Sires Stakes scheduled next week, we didn’t see any way we could put together four race cards.”

Haight pointed out that the Downs’ group sales department has packed the Clubhouse for Wednesday (Aug. 15) and that their annual Breast Cancer fundraiser is on Friday (Aug. 17), so not racing on either of those two nights was not an option.

“Our plan is to add the Open trotters to our Saturday (Aug. 11) racing schedule. That should make for a spectacular Saturday program that would include both the Open pace and Open trot. The top-class trotters would then race back on Friday (Aug. 17),” Haight said.

Further adjustments include switching horses that have been racing on Sunday to Wednesday (Aug. 15) to fill that program along with the Open mares.

Then moving forward, the Friday program (Aug. 17) will be comprised of horses that have been racing on Monday plus the return of the Open trotters to their regular day.

The Saturday (Aug. 18) program should remain unscathed although a few races may have to move to Sunday (Aug. 19).

“We may have to scratch and claw to fill that program but we are going to do whatever we can to get that card to go,” Haight said. “Once the New York Sire Stake races return on Wednesday (Aug. 22), they will remain for four straight Wednesdays so the cards should fill until the track reduces its schedule to the normal Wednesday, Friday and Saturday rotation.”

If the race office is able to fill 33 races per week, the track will conduct 10 races on Wednesday, 11 races on Friday and 12 races on Saturday. If more races need to be added, Batavia Downs will do whatever it takes to get all horses raced.

Horsemen and women looking to enter horses at Batavia Downs are asked to reference the updated condition sheet that is now available.

Haight also said that even though there is no racing this Sunday, the “Dollar Sunday” promotion will continue. It has been highly advertised, it’s very popular and the track thinks it’s best to continue it from noon until 4 p.m. at the Homestretch Grille.