Wet weather disrupts Laurel turf races

The weather woes at the Laurel Park fall meet continued last week as races were taken off the turf Friday and Saturday, the Thursday grass races were held on yielding ground, and Sunday’s turf races were switched to the main track after the horses in race 1 took 1:44.93 to cover a mile over a soft course.

Through the first 16 cards of the Laurel meet, all the turf races were switched to dirt on 11 cards and some were taken off turf on another two days, including Sunday.

The Laurel turf course consists of six racing lanes, and the track cards a high percentage of its races on grass. When races are moved to the main track, it typically results in many scratches. Sal Sinatra, president of the Maryland Jockey Club, admitted Sunday the track’s handle has taken a significant hit.

Laurel is located on low-lying land with a high water table that is basically at the same level as the infield lake.

Early Sunday, races 5, 7, and 10 were taken off the turf, but track management had hoped to keep races 1, 2, 4, and 8 on the grass.

“Our racing secretary was at the scales after race 1,” Sinatra said. “The riders basically all said ‘no good’ as they left the track, and we agreed. Everybody’s anxious to get back on the grass, but the turns are still too soft.”

Sinatra said the turf course’s drainage system is working properly.

“You can watch the drainage tubes emptying into the lake,” he said. “It just continues to be cool and humid here, with heavy dew at night. Maryland for the year is 18 inches above its usual average rainfall. The ground is saturated and there just isn’t any place for the water to go.”

The forecast called for dry weather through Wednesday. On Thursday, when Laurel races next, there is a 75 percent chance of heavy rain and a thunderstorm.

Apprentice rider hurt in spill

Seven-pound apprentice rider Antonio Quiles will be sidelined indefinitely with a broken collarbone and fractured ribs following a spill at Laurel on Friday.

Quiles was aboard Rubys Fire in race 6 when she collapsed in midstretch. Giolilmiss, who was trailing, jumped over the fallen horse and rider.

Quiles is a native of Puerto Rico. He has been riding in the United States since February and has 29 Thoroughbred wins from 229 mounts. Rubys Fire died as a result of the accident.

Parx: Pennington on fire

Jockey Frankie Pennington continues to rip it up at Parx Racing, and on Sunday had his second five-win day in a week.

Pennington won races 1 through 4 at Parx, and then took the eighth race, too. Pennington’s winners were Berberslilbriebrie ($3.20) for trainer Marcos Zulueta, Rove ($10.20) for Derek Ryan, Little Lu ($7) for Butch Reid, Resonate ($3) for Lupe Preciado, and Amatteroftime ($3.40) for Jason Servis.

Pennington also won five races last Monday and two on Tuesday. He leads the Parx rider standings with 117 wins, 43 more than his nearest pursuer.

Pennington is shooting for his fifth consecutive Parx riding title and his sixth overall.