Santa Anita cancelled

[sekrah]

Any chance of a ROTW for tomorrow?

[Dana666]

Gotta love synthetic tracks!!! Hope you all didn\'t study the card for 4 hours. I told you a few days ago this was likely. Let\'s hope we get tomorrow in.

[richiebee]

...or lets hope they have a few more cancellations so the switch to dirt is
inevitable for next Fall...

[Dana666]

Yeah, I think it is anyway. Keep your fingers crossed!

[TGAB]

Right, but remember on the last dirt surface the base had holes. When it rained sink holes developed. The relevant point is a real live hands-on construction manager has to oversee the installation once a realistic plan is developed which takes into account weather, wear and tear, etc., and has been professionally vetted by respected voices.

Obviously, that\'s not as simple as it seems.

[miff]

Is there a dumber human on the planet,in the racing game, than Frank Stronach? Probably not! Dumb Frankie is now said to be considering another experimental surface for Santa Anita which is used at one of his tracks in Austria no less, the racing capital of the planet.

The surface is dirt,sand and fiber.Full details in article by Steve Crist, DRF.Brilliant Frankie!!


Mike

[colt]

\"Is there a dumber human on the planet,in the racing game, than Frank Stronach?...Frank \"rain-danced\" on the Roger Stein Show earlier today when asked if he is committed to taking out the Pro-Ride after the current meet.

BTW, I know that Rick Arthur has played a huge role in advancing pre/post race testing on the So Cal circuit, but enough with the Spin-Doctor routine in defense of synthetic surfaces, where Arthur highlights the reduction in deaths per starts, but neglects training fatalities is a complete joke.

[nyc1347]

frank should also try making a salt water course (with 2 feet of water in an oval pool) with hurdles for these horses going 2 and 7/8ths of a mile.  at least it couldnt get rained out

[marcus]

Amazing stuff - many have seen the Ca & Ky \"breakdown\" studies links posted some time ago that suggest imo a direct correlation between distance ran in training and breakdowns/ injuries sustained on the track while racing , however ;  I haven\'t yet the opportunity to look at any of the most recent injury / breakdown studies which deal with these new surfaces  .  ..

[sekrah]

I think alot of these studies are bunk.  Taking alot of random data and trying to make a meal out of it.   Overraced horses are more likely to breakdown but I think other breakdowns are just bad random luck in the form of bad steps..  Not much different than a football player twisting an ankle except that the horses are far more fragile and have 1200 pounds coming down on that ankle or knee, not 200.

[marcus]

I believe injury stats for the new surfaces at least need to be out their irregardless . imo ,if one type of racing surface is actually better than another , that might be worth knowing  .

[sekrah]

I can certaintly agree with that..

I believe at the moment the numbers are pretty inconclusive.  Meaning the surface hasn\'t significantly decreased the number of injuries like they promised it would.

I would certaintly love to see that crap dug up.

[P.Eckhart]

The antipathy of players to polytrack etc is all about their malcontent as handicappers at losing the front speed dirt bias at these tracks and their fear that a roll out might spread further still. All the other chatter is just that.

[FrankD.]

Lot\'s of pro\'s, con\'s, stats & studies to ponder about surfaces ?

I\'ve not seen mention of the diluting of the North American Breed ?

We\'ve been watered down for the past 20 plus years.
Too many top sires have been sent abroad.
Too many horses foaled.
Too many lesser tracks running year round meets for slot\'s money.
Too many juice trainers running unsound horses.