Cratos
08-11-2014, 03:26 PM
In reading various posts on this Forum there appear to be some dissatisfaction with Saratoga in terms of handicapping as opposed to year’s past.
IMHO to handicap Saratoga you most know Belmont Park because the two racetracks in the handicapping of races are as different as night and day and it is not just because Belmont Park is larger than the Saratoga Race Course.
The primary differences are in the difference to the turn for the same race distance.
At Saratoga the 1-1/4M race starts 1,001 feet before the turn or little over 1-1/2 furlongs. At Belmont the same race distance is started on the turn at 1,543 feet or nearly 2-1/2 furlongs from the straightaway on the backstretch.
The race distance to the turn comparisons can continue with the 1-1/8M race where the Saratoga race starts about 1/16M off the turn, the Belmont 1-1/8M distance is virtually a “one turn sprint” with over a 1/2M to run to the turn.
What impact does this have on the race distance? It is significant for multiple reasons. The obvious impact being that there is less demand on the horses having to corner into only one turn, as opposed to two turns at Saratoga. Also the long straightaway down the backstretch gives the horses ample opportunity to get into position without having to worry about hitting the first turn shortly after the start. Added to that impact, is that the turn side force at Saratoga is nearly 37% greater on the horse than at Belmont Park.
But the comparisons gets better because at Belmont Park on the dirt you have 1M and 1-1/16M races which also are one turn races, but at Saratoga there are not 1M and 1-1/16M races on the dirt. Therefore the “milers” have to either be able to be speedy enough to run at the 7F distance or have the stamina to get the 1-1/8M distance.
Lastly, we cannot forget the turf where the turf sprint is a very significant part of the Saratoga race agenda, but the turf sprint at Saratoga is run at 5-1/2F where at Belmont Park it is 6F.
Therefore I have attached a layout of Belmont Park for to make your own handicapping assessments.
IMHO to handicap Saratoga you most know Belmont Park because the two racetracks in the handicapping of races are as different as night and day and it is not just because Belmont Park is larger than the Saratoga Race Course.
The primary differences are in the difference to the turn for the same race distance.
At Saratoga the 1-1/4M race starts 1,001 feet before the turn or little over 1-1/2 furlongs. At Belmont the same race distance is started on the turn at 1,543 feet or nearly 2-1/2 furlongs from the straightaway on the backstretch.
The race distance to the turn comparisons can continue with the 1-1/8M race where the Saratoga race starts about 1/16M off the turn, the Belmont 1-1/8M distance is virtually a “one turn sprint” with over a 1/2M to run to the turn.
What impact does this have on the race distance? It is significant for multiple reasons. The obvious impact being that there is less demand on the horses having to corner into only one turn, as opposed to two turns at Saratoga. Also the long straightaway down the backstretch gives the horses ample opportunity to get into position without having to worry about hitting the first turn shortly after the start. Added to that impact, is that the turn side force at Saratoga is nearly 37% greater on the horse than at Belmont Park.
But the comparisons gets better because at Belmont Park on the dirt you have 1M and 1-1/16M races which also are one turn races, but at Saratoga there are not 1M and 1-1/16M races on the dirt. Therefore the “milers” have to either be able to be speedy enough to run at the 7F distance or have the stamina to get the 1-1/8M distance.
Lastly, we cannot forget the turf where the turf sprint is a very significant part of the Saratoga race agenda, but the turf sprint at Saratoga is run at 5-1/2F where at Belmont Park it is 6F.
Therefore I have attached a layout of Belmont Park for to make your own handicapping assessments.