Pro Ride

[joanied]

http://news.bloodhorse.com/article/47230.htm

So far, so good.

I'm still a DIRT fan:)

[maxwell]

So far, not so good.

It appears the heat is now a concern? I don't know why that should be a problem considering how hot it gets Down Under, where Pro-Ride was developed and tested.

This stuff is 87% dirt, and they still can't get it right?

[joanied]

So far, not so good.

It appears the heat is now a concern? I don't know why that should be a problem considering how hot it gets Down Under, where Pro-Ride was developed and tested.

This stuff is 87% dirt, and they still can't get it right?

I did read that...but although it got warm, they said it was fine, no problem...I assume that is a factor they were expecting.

[Hosshead]

Most of the "Positive Reviews" in that story came from jockeys and trainers that won races and of course the Pro-Ride Rep.
No surprise that they were pro Pro-Ride.

[Bobzilla]

Everytime there is a new install of an AWS the platitudes and compliments are widely and eagerly reported. There is also a reluctance on the part of many to publically state any initial misgivings that they might have. The pressure to be politically correct on this issue is counterproductive to any real dialogue over what's best in the long term for thoroughbred racing.

I think it's way too premature to arrive at any conclusions about this particular surface's tenability as a full time racing surface. Up to now I've read reports of the surface being too hot and too loose, problems that are being looked at by Ian Pearse. Garrett Gomez felt that the track was better over the weekend than it was during the first few days. The track was reported to have been harrowed more frequently over the weekend. Bob Baffert, a critic of synthetics in the past, voiced acceptance to what he has seen so far though he didn't hide the fact he would still prefer a traditional dirt surface.

I strongly suspect that in the end we will all come to realize that Pro-Ride isn't interchangeable with the traditional dirt varieties and that it will exhibit many of the same characteristics we have seen with the other AWSs in regard to race dynamics and the types of thoroughbreds that can be competitive over it. If that's okay with the powers that be in this game then that's what we're probably going to end up with from now on. It appears to me that Racing is working towards a universal surface which they hope will foster the new age internationalization of the sport.

[Fingal]

Most of the "Positive Reviews" in that story came from jockeys and trainers that won races and of course the Pro-Ride Rep.
No surprise that they were pro Pro-Ride.

http://www.oaktreeracing.com/frame.php?po=/racinginfo/stats/&f=/racinginfo/stats/CombinedStats.pdf


I'd rather hear quotes from top riders like Victor Espinoza or MC Baze that are currently at the bottom of the standings.

[joanied]

Excellent post from 'bobzilla'...

I think many trainers that don't like the Pro Ride are not saying so...they don't want to loose stalls, although that would be dirty pool on the part of the 'powers that be', to penalize anyone that voices a less than approoving statement.
I beleive 'they' are pointing towards putting in Pro Ride (or any other synthetic) on every track in America...at least the major ones...and one day dirt will be gone, pretty much what bobzilla said...I can't imagine a 'level playing feild' for all horses if different tracks have different surfaces.
If it was possible, I think the best 'compromise' would be to have the major tracks include a synthetic track along with their dirt & turf courses...I realize this would be a huge undertaking, but at least something like that would still give us (trainers/owners/horses) the dirt track to run on....I suppose there will be some horses that simply cannot deal with synthetic...which isn't fair for anyone.

Bottom line for me is...horses were born to run on dirt and grass...and we are forcing them to run on a surface totally foreign to the nature of the animal...since the very first tiny prehistoric horses...synthetic...what's that!!

Anyway, that's my two cents...and if it was up to me, all tracks would be dirt...because I beleive all dirt tracks can be safe surfaces.