Breeders' Cup has a contingency plan in place for air transport of horses should an impending major storm in the Northeast cause problems, officials said Oct. 27.
A Tex Sutton plane is scheduled to leave the Islip, N.Y., airport Oct. 30, when winds from Hurricane Sandy are expected to exceed 50 miles per hour. If the plane can't leave Islip, Tex Sutton has arranged to transport the Breeders' Cup-bound horses to the airport in Newburgh, N.Y.
The largest contingents of horses are those trained by Bill Mott and Todd Pletcher. There was no change in the original plan as of the morning of Oct. 28.
Breeders' Cup said if the flight is delayed on departure so as to affect the 72-hour ship-in rule, "Breeders' Cup security personnel will accompany the horses on the flight so security protocols are maintained."
Breeders' Cup investigators will also accompany the horses from Ontario Airport in California to Santa Anita Park to maintain security procedures.
It's predicted that by Oct. 29, Hurricane Sandy will bring heavy rain and winds of up to 75 miles per hour in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast, according to weather.com.
Monmouth Park and its Woodbridge off-track wagering parlor in New Jersey already have shut down Oct. 29-30, with plans to reopen Oct. 31.
