Parx 12/21

It's tricky this time of year. What's going on at Parx the last couple of weeks is exactly why they put in the inner track at Aqueduct - melting, draining and drying out just doesn't work the same way when the weather is cold as it does other times of the year.

Another factor is the snow. When it's just rain, the water for the most part seeps straight down into the ground, even on the turf course or infield. Unfortunately when there is snow melting, it runs outward from the turf course onto the dirt track that was just cleared.

Hopefully today is the last day the of cancellations for now - it's been sunny and in the high 60s, that should dry everything out finally. Let's also hope they're harrowing the track over and over again this afternoon to turn the dirt and bring some of the wetter stuff up to the top to dry.

I guess the most irritating thing about these cancellations is that many of them (like today) have been announced so late - less than an hour before first post. Today betting was already open when they cancelled. Surely they must have known at 10 or 11 this morning that there would be problems?