Sean Wright, fired earlier this week by management at JACK Thistledown in North Randall, Ohio, said problems with the racing surface arose recently after members of the track maintenance crew – who are members of the Teamsters union – repeatedly disregarded his instructions to add water to the surface. That led to the track getting too hard, he said, while disputing reports that rocks were on the surface July 21-22. Thistledown cancelled four consecutive race days, from June 21-24 because of the condition of the racetrack.
Former Thistledown official David Ellsworth, who retired in 2024, was brought on to supervise restoration of the surface, according to Daily Racing Form.
Wright, 56, who was in his first year as Thistledown’s track superintendent, was blunt in describing the relationship with his eight-man crew…