The strong winds that forced Turfway Park to cancel its program after two races Sept. 14 because of unsafe conditions did some damage to the facility, but operations are back to normal.
“(The damage) wasn’t that significant,” Turfway president Bob Elliston said Sept. 15. “It was nothing critical.”
Part of the roof of the grandstand/clubhouse was damaged when an air conditioning unit blew over, and stucco material in the paddock area blew off walls. The elevator shaft in the lobby adjacent the paddock was exposed, Elliston said.
After the Sept. 14 shutdown of all operations, training and simulcasts resumed Sept. 15. The next live racing program is scheduled for the evening of Sept. 17. Turfway hosts the Kentucky Cup program, centerpiece of the late summer/early fall meet, Sept. 27.
The powerful winds were part of the remnants of Hurricane Ike, which quickly made its way up from Texas the weekend of Sept. 13. Many parts of the Northern Kentucky/Cincinnati, Ohio area were without power Sept. 14-15.
