Gulfstream: Two Races off Turf Today

Gulfstream Park has a nine-race card today, with first post at 1:15 p.m.

And for just the second time in its spring meet, Gulfstream is moving some races off the turf because of wet conditions following heavy rains in South Florida on Wednesday afternoon and evening.

As of 12:30 p.m. the second, fourth, fifth and eighth races are still scheduled for the turf course that is listed as good.

The first and third races have been moved from the turf to the dirt track that also is listed as good.

The Weather Channel forecast for Hallandale Beach calls for a 15 percent chance of rain until 2:00 p.m., followed by thunderstorms until about 3:00 p.m.

We will have updates on any changes on this blog.

Today is the 32^nd day of the Gulfstream spring meet that 

began on April 6.

The only other day when races were moved off the turf was May 4, when all five scheduled-for-turf races were moved to the dirt.

During its spring meet, Gulfstream has been running about half of its races on turf.

Gulfstream plans to continue that heavy schedule of turf  racing this spring and summer, P.J. Campo, the track’s vice president and general manager of racing recently told us.

For several weeks next month, Gulfstream will not have any races on the rail or on other inner lanes of the course Campo said.  Four or more turf races will be run on the  outer lanes of the wide turf course.

That will enable Gulfstream to preserve the inner lanes for its summer meet from July through September.

In October and November, Gulfstream will hold its annual Gulfstream Park West meet at Calder Casino & Race Course

--Jim Freer