The track at Scarborough Downs will be modified to make it safer for both horses and their drivers.

The hub rail around the inside of the track will be removed while the facility is closed from Sept. 11 to Oct. 13, its normal fall hiatus. The rail, which some say was dangerous to both horses and drivers, is also close to the lights. When the rail goes, about 40 light posts will be taken down as well to remove all obstacles, said Scarborough Downs owner Sharon Terry.

“It’s going to take a period of time. It’s quite an undertaking,” said Terry.

The track re-opens on Oct. 13, with only afternoon races scheduled for the remainder of the season, said Terry. That’s the usual procedure anyway, to save money on the electricity bill, she said.

The removal of the rail and lights could mean more afternoon races next season. Whether the lights are replaced is still a question, she added.

“I think that’s something that we’ll have to see how it goes and just see how it affects us,” said Terry.

For now, “Everyone one is on the same page. There are safety concerns. Harness racing is a risky sport, and we certainly want it to be as safe as possible.”

Once the rail and lights are gone, said Terry, a break-away rail will be added that can be driven over in the case of an accident.

The Maine Harness Horsemen’s Association urged the track to remove the rail after an accident Aug. 4 in which Highway Hanover, a 6-year-old horse worth about $37,500, was killed. The rail didn’t cause the horse to stumble, but after falling, the horse righted itself and ran into the rail, breaking its neck.

The major problem, said Drew Campbell, a horse trainer and driver, is the limitation the rail puts on maneuvering if there is an accident. If a horse ahead of him is in trouble, said Campbell, the rail would force him to the right rather than off into the middle of the track.

“The hub rail is a low rail and it’s very dangerous,” said Campbell. “Scarborough Downs has done a great job with capital improvements, the track is in great shape. I believe there’s only one thing left to change, and that’s the hub rail. This was a long time coming. The last thing you ever want is to have a driver killed.”

The restaurant at Scarborough Downs is another question for Terry next year.

“We’ll have to look into that as well,” said Terry. “Maybe we’ll have a different menu with an earlier post time.”

There is an advantage to staying with afternoon races, said Susan Higgins, Scarborough Downs marketing director. By racing in the afternoons, Scarborough Downs could broadcast its races at other tracks during the day, something that could bring in more money for the track.

“That opens up a lot of windows at other tracks because they want to appease their customers by having something on for them to watch,” said Higgins.