The following is a news release from promoting company Supreme Ventures Racing and Entertainment Limited.
KINGSTON, Jamaica – Supreme Ventures Racing and Entertainment Limited (SVREL) is aware that sections of Caymanas Park experienced flooding resulting from the sustained rains brought on by Tropical Storm Raphael. Prior to the storm's arrival, the SVREL team took precautionary measures to mitigate potential damage, including cutting of vegetation and cleaning the drainage system around the Park. These efforts helped to curtail the flooding to some degree, but unfortunately a few stables were still impacted due to the overwhelming volume of rain that exceeded the capacity of the drainage infrastructure.
We recognize that increased rainfall and unpredictable weather patterns have become a growing challenge, not just for Caymanas Park, but for racing facilities globally. Just this year, we've seen Gulfstream Park and Belmont Park also experience flooding issues at their premises resulting in cancellation of racedays.
We will therefore be working closely with the Portmore Municipality and other key stakeholders to assess the existing design of drains surrounding Caymanas Park and identify solutions to better handle the increased water flow during extreme weather events. Our goal is to implement measures that will reduce the likelihood of similar flooding incidents occurring in the future and minimize the impact on our horsemen and the industry. In the meantime, we are providing support to the affected stables to help them resume normal operations as quickly as possible.
SVREL remains committed to working with all our stakeholders to safeguard the well-being of the horses and the livelihoods of everyone who depend on this industry. We will provide updates on our progress and any necessary actions taken to address this issue.
