HORSES BREAKING DOWN ON TURF RACING

[delayjf]

Have there been any studies down on horses breaking down on turf vs dirt. While I'm sure there are many, I can't recall ever seeing a major incident on the turf.

[B. Comin']

Years ago I had a $100.00 to win on a solid 3-1 shot in a So. Cal. turf race. Can't remember the track or race (selective amnesia), jock was possibly Pincay.

Anyways, to make a short story longer, my beetle is ahead by 8 lengths mid-stretch and I'm celebratin' already; then, all of a sudden my horse veers left towards the infield, not only hits the rail, but breaks it, and the broken rail impales the horse and kills it. In the DRF account, they pulled horse hair hair, bone, and skin outta the rail afterwards.

Then there was the night at Meadowlands when my pick bolted out of the gate, veered right, jumped the rail and got electrocuted by a high voltage fence. That was a dirt race.

So there you go, turf or dirt, s**t happens.
Oh, by the way, check the selections board soon for some of my picks :D

[Speed Figure]

Try looking at Landseer in the 2002 B.C.Mile.

[kenwoodallpromos]

UC Davis studys show the most breakdowns and injuries occur on surfaces that are too soft OR too hard, and the least on "normal" medium surfaces.

[Dancer's Image]

Thanks Ken, that makes sense! How did you access that study? If they can come to that conclusion in their study, they should be able to at least make some intelligent comment about Delayjf's original question.

[Skanoochies]

So we`ll never know if a surface was too hard or two soft unless some horses broke down on it. What logic.

Skanoochies.:D

[kenwoodallpromos]

Use a search engine for Catistrophic injury equine (or horse) track for the following: Caringconsumer.com; Paws; Japan racing 2002.

[kenwoodallpromos]

Actually, as to breakdown studies, it is not easy to predict when a breakdown will occur; I have only done it once, with Bob Baffert's horse Premier Property (actually I told my brother the horse was being overworked and predicted the horse would either win the next race or die trying- Premier Property finished the race 3rd, then brokedown and died on the track). My system predicts track speed, the only way so far as I know.

[Dancer's Image]

Thanks Ken...you give me more credit than I deserve....but I'll ask one of my teenagers to help me in the AM.

[kenwoodallpromos]

Last year at CD week of the derby, 5 horses died on the track in workouts and races. The 4f dirt workout middle times each day prior to the derby was 48.6- a 1 on my system, he fastest. Each night online the CD website said "Track was rolled" (sealed). The evening prior to the derby it did not say sealed so I knew the track would be normal speed. I was public handicapping at time and picked 1st choice 7 of 12 winners. 4f dirt middle work was 49.4. / The industry and bettors want only speed so that is what the goal is. Tracks are sped up or slowed down by weather and sometimes by track crews- larger tracks the crews are better at it but at most tracks however the track is set for the week it is lefthat way at least for a few day- sometimes tracks are slowed down for a weekend race card. / Knowing 1-2 hours ahead helps win bets as does knowing a track's trend for the week. Knowinhow to accurately read a track's speed would help the crews a lot!

[B. Comin']

Originally posted by Skanoochies
So we`ll never know if a surface was too hard or two soft unless some horses broke down on it. What logic.

Skanoochies.:D

Good point. You're the 2nd canadian I ever liked!

The surface question is like asking at what temperature and humidity factor and distance will a horse's heart explode after exerting itself at Louisiana tracks?

Gotta go now. Need to get some senior citizens to help me move an anvil. :eek: