One Variant Fits All ?

[TGJB]

9/29 Belmont:

Race 1, track fast. Rain before race 2, then sealed,then opened again, for next dirt race (3). Then sealed again and showery for race 4. Opened again after the race, and harrowed before all remaining dirt races.
 

[GAM]

TGJB Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> 9/29 Belmont:
>
> Race 1, track fast. Rain before race 2, then
> sealed,then opened again, for next dirt race (3).
> Then sealed again and showery for race 4. Opened
> again after the race, and harrowed before all
> remaining dirt races.
>

Sometimes I\'m amazed by how much horse racing info that\'s crammed into my head.  Other times, I\'m amazed by how little I know about this sport/game even after playing for a long time.  

Although I think I understand the concept of \"sealing\" a track, and I believe that involves compressing the dirt surface so that water more readily rolls off it, can you explain precisely what the maintenance crew does to the racing surface to \"seal\" it?  

\"Opened again?\"  Assuming I was correct about sealing, does this mean the soil was loosened up again?  And if so, is this accomplished by harrowing the track?  Thanks.

[TGJB]

GAM-- Basically you are right, and I believe they use rollers of some sort to seal it. It\'s worth checking out \"Changing Track Speeds\" in the archive section of this site for more on this, and a lot of other things.

[Chuckles_the_Clown2]

This is close enough to the truth of it: http://www.turfpedia.com/playing_the_races/off_tracks.html

The issue pertains to vacillating track conditions, thus vacillating speed of the surface and thus vacillating final raw times.

The significant competitor isn\'t as tuned in to changing conditions, in fact outright denying anything but rain or sleet can impact a surface. Or in other words variables like temperature, humidity and evaporation are irrelevant. Those other guys don\'t adjust their performance figure much race to race. Thats the heart of it.

Want a good example of the issue? Just look at Jockey Club Gold Cup day:

http://www.equibase.com/premium/eqbPDFChartIndex.cfm?TID=BEL&CTRY=USA&DAY=D&DT=10/01/2005&STYLE=EQB

GAM Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> TGJB Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > 9/29 Belmont:
> >
> > Race 1, track fast. Rain before race 2, then
> > sealed,then opened again, for next dirt race
> (3).
> > Then sealed again and showery for race 4.
> Opened
> > again after the race, and harrowed before
> all
> > remaining dirt races.
> >
>
> Sometimes I\'m amazed by how much horse racing info
> that\'s crammed into my head.  Other times, I\'m
> amazed by how little I know about this sport/game
> even after playing for a long time.  
>
> Although I think I understand the concept of
> \"sealing\" a track, and I believe that involves
> compressing the dirt surface so that water more
> readily rolls off it, can you explain precisely
> what the maintenance crew does to the racing
> surface to \"seal\" it?  
>
> \"Opened again?\"  Assuming I was correct about
> sealing, does this mean the soil was loosened up
> again?  And if so, is this accomplished by
> harrowing the track?  Thanks.
>

[TGJB]

CTC-- that story quotes studies done about running styles on off track during the 70\'s and 80\'s. It\'s worth noting that surfaces have been changed quite a bit since then, in part with the specific intent of getting them to dry quicker-- there is a higher percentage of sand in virtually all tracks, making them (in simplest terms) often get faster when wet. I would be interested in seeing similar studies of races over the last 5 years-- maybe I\'ll get George to run a study. Remind me after the Breeders\' Cup.

[magicnight]

As the nuns at Saint Columbanus used to ask me ... \"Were you vacillated with a phonograph needle?\"