Horse races canceled for opening weekend at Fonner Park

Posted by author February 15, 2025 Horse Racing

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GRAND ISLAND, Neb. (KSNB) – Opening weekend of the horse races at Fonner Park have been canceled.

Fonner Park released a statement Saturday morning saying that the horsemen and Fonner Park management have agreed to cancel racing both Saturday and Sunday due to the weather Mother Nature has dealt them.

Temperatures are expected to reach only into the upper teens and wind gusts are expected to be 25 to 35 mph.

Fonner Park CEO Chris Kotulak said his facilities team did an outstanding job with the racetrack in preparation for this weekend.

“Hundreds of horses trained over the racetrack yesterday,” Kotulak said. “But the colder temps today, couple with high winds, caused racing to be unreasonable.”

He added that he never prefers to cancel racing in advance of a day of racing before getting an actual taste of the weather, but the forecast for this weekend was correct.

He said the temperature for Opening Day 2024 was 31 degrees; in 2018 it was 22 degrees and in 2016 it was 56 degrees.

“We are a winter racing facility and must recognize the weather pendulum swings both ways,” Kotulak added.

WATCH BELOW: TRAINERS PREPARE FOR SEASON TO BEGIN

The horse racing season at Fonner Park begins on February 15 but preparation has been going on behind the scenes for months.

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