A severe thunderstorm began passing over Belmont Park before Friday’s fifth race, knocking out power to the TV service and the infield tote boards as several lightning strikes were seen to hit on the racetrack grounds.

The horses for the fifth race were being held in the paddock until the storm passed, then the card was expected to continue, but with the seventh and ninth races taken off the turf. Those two races now become “all” races in the pick 6, and 75 percent of the pick 6 pool will be carried over to Saturday’s card.