Hawthorne-Dirt, "The Right Stuff"

[David-LV]

:jump: I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT WE STILL HAVE SOME SANE PEOPLE RUNNING RACE TRACKS.:jump:

________
David




Posted: Monday, September 10, 2007 6:35 PM

Hawthorne touts dirt surface to horsemen, fans :)


In a news release announcing its upcoming fall meeting, Hawthorne Race Course makes a point to promote its dirt surface, suggesting it is comparable in safety to synthetic surfaces while adding that horseplayers favor such racing.

The release states, “When racing resumes on September 21, Hawthorne Race Course will once again offer dirt racing in Chicago … a 3-inch limestone base with 4 inches of fine sand, and a small amount of clay, evenly distributed from rail to rail, because it is the safest surface for the elements.”

Besides selling horsemen on the Hawthorne surface, the release concludes by reminding bettors of the joys of handicapping dirt races. It says, “Hawthorne Race Course has offered safe and reliable dirt racing for well over 100 years. Tradition can sometimes be a healthy thing. Handicappers rejoice!”

Hawthorne President Tim Carey said the fact that Hawthorne offers Thoroughbred and Standardbred racing works in its favor when it comes to safety.

“It’s still safety first here, and we’re committed to the health and well-being of our horses,” Carey said. “Because we are one of the few tracks in the country to offer dual racing, we are required to strip the track entirely every year. This ensures a perfectly even base which has allowed us to be the safest track in the state for many years. We have no expectations of ever changing our racing surface.”

Track Superintendent Greg Cardenas suggests Hawthorne’s surface is more consistent than synthetic surfaces when changes in weather are factored.

“For me, sand is still the real surface while Polytrack is still a learning process. Wind changes and temperature changes are going to take place, and we know how to deal with it because we’ve been dealing with it for years,” Cardenas said. “Other tracks are already taking on these Polytrack issues. I say let them experiment with it. I know very well what I’m working with when sand is involved.”

[kenwoodallpromos]

Which other tracks are there in that state? The statement may be true, who knows? As far as overall safety, including attrition rates due to lameness and injury, I would have no idea where to obtain the numbers.

[Hosshead]

We've all heard the (dirt) phrases:
"Cheap as Dirt"
"Dumb as Dirt", etc.
Now Haw has added "Proud as Dirt".
Way to go Haw.
Don't forget that Ian and Premier Turf Club carry this track, for all your mutuel needs.

[gillenr]

Fairmont Park is in IL, near St. Louis.

[GaryG]

This would all be fine if they would shut down at the end of November. Those frosen and partially frozen tracks are a mess.

[BIG49010]

I had one horse bow at Hawthorne, another chipped both knees, and yet another slab fractured a knee. You have to love racing over the top of a Harness surface, the management at Hawthorne is in the dark ages!

They took a race off the grass, because track management walked the turf course at 7 am and the grass was wet. Most people call it dew!

[njcurveball]

Which other tracks are there in that state?


Have you ever heard of a small track called Arlington. ;)

[kenwoodallpromos]

Have you ever heard of a small track called Arlington. ;)
I wanted to be sure which tracks are in IL since there are some standardbred races also.
I know all about Arlington's injury problems but not Fairmont; but I did find this:

"Starting Date: 03/06/2007
Ending Date: 09/10/2007

Name Starts 1st 2nd 3rd Earnings
Long Bay Dancer 11 6 0 1 $23,196
Oust 8 6 0 0 $65,859
Sir Catalack 6 5 1 0 $40,656
Cat On the Grass 8 5 1 0 $29,432
Archee More 8 5 0 1 $24,905
Gotta Win Gold 8 4 3 1 $23,700
Centre Island 6 4 2 0 $15,960
Circuit Rider 11 4 2 0 $13,678
Monetary Monarch 9 4 1 2 $15,856
Ice Pellet 9 4 1 2 $13,235
El Jefe 9 4 0 2 $25,449
Reds Chile 9 3 4 1 $12,829
Becky B Mine 8 3 4 0 $15,116
Just Viareggio 10 3 3 3 $36,928
Little Blue Slew 9 3 2 2 $10,656
Grant's Kayla 8 3 2 0 $13,295
Shamuuu 7 3 2 0 $12,352
Mr. Hawthorn 7 3 2 0 $10,879
River Front Times 10 3 2 0 $10,178
Witch Bay 6 3 2 0 $10,167"

Looks like are a number ofr runners at Fairmont who stayed healthy enough to run several times this year!
Glad to hear Hawthorne is safe. Nowyou all who cannot win a bet on rubber will be sure to have a nice dirt track to bet!!
(Hawthorne was the track a couple of years ago that was slower the farther out the horse was posted, and was that way all the way around the track). Some good inside early speed there!

[Pace Cap'n]

The release states, “When racing resumes on September 21, Hawthorne Race Course will once again offer dirt racing in Chicago … a 3-inch limestone base with 4 inches of fine sand, and a small amount of clay, evenly distributed from rail to rail, because it is the safest surface for the elements.”




“For me, sand is still the real surface while Polytrack is still a learning process. I say let them experiment with it. I know very well what I’m working with when sand is involved.”

Where's the dirt?

[kenwoodallpromos]

Where's the dirt?
"a small amount of clay".

[Kelso]

This would all be fine if they would shut down at the end of November. Those frosen and partially frozen tracks are a mess.


:ThmbUp: :ThmbUp: :ThmbUp:

Thouroughbreds are out of Arabians ... warm-climate animals. There should not be any racing/sweating in cold (under 50 degrees?) weather.

[rdavislake]

horses have a normal body temp of 101 degrees..........they wear a fur coat year round.......you would prefer to watch them keel over from heat stoke in the dog days of 100 degree daily temps in Louisana?......i'd rethink the "no racing in winter", were i you.......

[Kelso]

you would prefer to watch them keel over from heat stoke in the dog days of 100 degree daily temps in Louisana?


You didn't read that from me ... don't know why you'd even bring it up. Would rather summer racing be left to the more northern states. Enough good weather to go around, for anyone who actually cares about it.



i'd rethink the "no racing in winter", were i you


Perhaps, but certainly not due to anything I've read from you. Go play with your straw men.

[lovemychampions]

Hi, I noticed you were looking for info about the track called Fairmount Park, located in Collinsville Ill.
I can tell you that you were correct when you did your research and thought that the horses seemed to be doing well there.
I am a Thoroughbred owner in St. Louis and being the big racing fan I am, I was there probably every live racing day this past season. The facility itself, is not very pretty, infact very dirty and run down, people throw lots of trash on the ground, tables are not cleaned regularly in the Grand Stand, and the people that go there are not always the classiest group. Everyone that knows anything about the owner and management there, believe the reason for this, is that the owner of the track has not put any money into the place at all in hopes that if it looks desperate and ''falling under'' he would be able to get slot machines or profit sharing from casinos. Infact he says if the legislators dont grant him the slots or profit sharing, he will take the racing season down from 90 days to 60. It has badly chipped paint walls, wires and boards falling off of most of the buildings, the parking lots and all walk ways are falling apart with huge holes in them resembly lakes when it rains, and usually the concession stands are in bad condition too. All or most of the employees are worried the track is going to fail under this management and they are fearing losing their jobs. The only building that is not in need of repair is Ironicly the Owner of the tracks personal Barn for his thoroughbreds, It is rumored and very possibly true that the only reason he put money into that was because he used 'state money' to build it.
However the DIRT TRACK is not bad, even though they often seal it after it rains instead of before it rains, ODD? Anyways the track is actually very safe for the horses. I only saw maybe 4 or 5 accidents all year long. once was because of jockey error when he ran his horse right up the rearend of another horse, and another because the horses legs both broke in the last stretch due to the trainer/owners running it hurt and should not have run him. I can honestly say I was not aware of a single accident due to track conditions being bad. I have to say the horses there did great with the track.
I do have a fellow owner/friend who used to have a huge barn at fairmont (we have the same trainer so I know can say what follows is true, because I know it is)- He had a huge barn at Fairmount, That was until he took his stable to a poly turf track- now he has to basicly start over. They were great horses when they ran at fairmont and had no problems what so ever, most of them went off as 'the favorite' in the odds when racing. He shipped them to one of the chicago turf tracks, and within 3 weeks all of his horses turned up lame. Unfortunatly 2 horses I know had to be destroyed, and the others have been turned out for months, and he still does not know if they will race again. his whole barn went there and now he has not been able to race a single horse since they were all hurt on the turf.
I claimed all my horses from fairmont and they have all been in perfect health, I have had 2 trainers this year and both of them said all of my horses are in the best condition possible and when they race I can say they definitly dont look lame:) (they usually ran every 2 weeks at fairmount and did all 90 days of the season) After fairmount season ended, I now race them at Hawthorne and Hoosier but only on the DIRT TRACKS, I won't put them on the newer turf as we like the the dirt tracks just fine. My horses are healthy and I want to keep them that way, ya know.
You seemed interested in Fairmount, so I hope this helped. If you want to know anything in particular about the track, let me know as I am sure I can help since I basicly live there, lol, and run thoroughbreds there myself (its my home track)
In conclusion, it is a good place to run horses safely, and it can be alot of fun to hang out at, but I will warn you- be ready to party. I like the more high class tracks too, but it can be fun to 'slum' at fairmount if you are looking for a good time, lots of loud people and lots of beer/hard alcohal. Now if we could get the owner to put some money into it, I know the track could be successful with the right management and advertising (instead of trying to get the state to just pad his pockets) Oh yeah, and all of the trainers are a little upset about how he has a very nice barn for his horses, and all the others are falling apart, and they all say he wont make any repairs to their barns even thought they pay him rent! Doesn't seem fair to me either:confused:

[Semipro]

Maybe if had them swim around an oval they"d they never break down I hate poly.