Quarterly Polytrack/Synthetic Vent

[jimbo66]

Two articles that epitomize the polytrack/synthetic mess.

http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/51896/six-catastrophic-breakdowns-at-del-mar

http://www.drf.com/drfNewsArticle.do?NID=105967

What could be a worse combination?  The track is not only not \"safer\" than dirt, but possibly more dangerous and the results are random and unpredictable.  The funny thing is I happen to actually dabble at Delmar on the two days he mentioned.  Because I hate handicapping the plastic and have zero confidence in it, I bought the TG analysis for both days.  On the 1st day, the figures seemed to hold up well and while I didn\'t make any money, there were what I would call \"standard skew\" horse racing results.  On the \"slow\" day mentioned in the article, it was unbelievable.  I think the best the TG analysis author did was a fifth place finisher and I might have done worse than that.  Horses with absolutely no form were winning races.

And I swore off Delmar for the rest of the meet.  And decided I would spare the board my quarterly \"synthetic rant\",  But then these two articles were written today and I couldn\'t resist.

Sorry.

See a few of you at the TG Seminars this weekend.  

Good luck and win all your photos!!

jim

[P-Dub]

What I don\'t get is this....

Why did the 3 tracks use 3 different surfaces??  Why not all use the same one, whether it be Cushion, Pro Ride, or Polytrack??  Is there a reason for this??

[Lost Cause]

P-Dub Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> What I don\'t get is this....
>
> Why did the 3 tracks use 3 different surfaces??
> Why not all use the same one, whether it be
> Cushion, Pro Ride, or Polytrack??  Is there a
> reason for this??


Probably whoever had the best lobbyist won the contract along with the kickback to the decision maker because it made too much sense to do what you are saying above..Remember there is also Tapeta up in Northern California to give you fits trying to figure out those shippers also.

[smalltimer]

It\'s more than likely weather related.  The Tapeta is a good surface for the colder climate like No. California and Presque in Pennsylvania.  

No question these surfaces are a puzzle for many of the horses, most of the trainers and a large percentage of horse players.

It seems like unless the dude from Europe is at a track in person, things tend to unravel.

Personally, I think with the direction the game is going, synthetics will be on their way out within 3-5 years.  So few percentage like it, so high a percentage reject it.  Eventually the game will have to change or become extinct.

With California slowly cleaning itself up with the drug mess, you still can\'t get the great ones like Rachel to go out there and run on any synthetics.  How can that be good for the game?

[marcus]

I like how Hol almost plays like a dirt track - occasional rubbernecking at the 3 /16\'s notwithstanding - though my personal interest for various reasons and considerations is in the Turf racing in So Cal . . .