Just a note

[cees with dees]

Went to Aqueduct today for the first time in some time.
Met a couple of great people.
On the downside, the only way to describe the track is it's like a racing factory.
When I used to go with my dad on a saturday, we had to save seats in the grandstand in order to have one.
Today, the entire grandstand was closed and I was booted from the premier dining facility which housed 9 bodies with 20 minutes till post, because I was inappropriately attired.
The grade 1 Cigar was decided by two average at best 3 year olds and the only thing I was right about all day was that Wanderin Boy, minus calks for the first time in his career, had no shot.
Bottom line is there is just too much racing. And now with the shoe ban, it's back to a numbskull game.
Just an opinion and maybe I'm just getting old.
Sure felt old on the Belt in the dark on the way home. At least until I put in a Stones CD.
Be well.
Ben

[Zman179]

Until the slots open up, Aqueduct is, and looks like, nothing more than an abandoned factory. It really is an unpleasurable experience, especially after they closed the grandstand.

[OTM Al]

Not sure where you guys were sitting, but I had a great time there Thursday and Saturday. I'd rather be at that track that pretty much any other. Maybe because it just seems so familiar to me.

[joanied]

When I was rubbing horses at Belmont, used to hate shipping over the the Big A...and that was when it was in pretty good shape...I didn't like the barn area, and those cinderblock barns were like refrigerators when it was cold out...horrible standing around with your horse waiting to go over...
at least now that slots are going in, they will rebuild the Big A and I hope it's an attractive, fun place to go...and that the racing isn't pushed to the back burner.
I also agree that we do have too much racing...we really need a couple of dark days every week at all major tracks.
Just my opinion...in brief:)

[joanied]

Went to Aqueduct today for the first time in some time.
Met a couple of great people.
On the downside, the only way to describe the track is it's like a racing factory.
When I used to go with my dad on a saturday, we had to save seats in the grandstand in order to have one.
Today, the entire grandstand was closed and I was booted from the premier dining facility which housed 9 bodies with 20 minutes till post, because I was inappropriately attired.
The grade 1 Cigar was decided by two average at best 3 year olds and the only thing I was right about all day was that Wanderin Boy, minus calks for the first time in his career, had no shot.
Bottom line is there is just too much racing. And now with the shoe ban, it's back to a numbskull game.
Just an opinion and maybe I'm just getting old.
Sure felt old on the Belt in the dark on the way home. At least until I put in a Stones CD.
Be well.
Ben

The Belt...brings back memories for me...'Gimme Shelter' would have made me feel great on that ride home:jump:

[lamboguy]

i think as of december 1st toe grips will be banned all over the country. it seems to me that the vets have taken over the racing game. i beleive there will be more injuries to horses in the winter time on these deep surface tracks because the horses will not be able to grab on to the track that well

if you ask me, this game is now completely out of control with vets and incompetant people making the foolish rules here.

when i saw pletchers horses this year they certainly looked different than in years past. i could tell a pletcher horse in the morning by seeing how big his behind is, they stick out like a sore thumb. he must have cut back on the amount of steroids he uses these days, because the horses just look like regular other peoples horses.

[Tom]

I think the key thought in this thread has been......what effect will no caulks have on some horses? A second thought might be how many will still be wearing them illegally? Can we trust trainers to obey the rules? :lol:

The first think I thought when I read this was "first time time no caulks, he breaks down! " Coincidence? Contributing factor? I have no idea, but it just hit me.

[Mineshaft]

Watching the races at Aqueduct when the horses are running on the backside what is in back of the track? Is it houses or business there right behind the track? Where are the barns located?

[joanied]

i think as of december 1st toe grips will be banned all over the country. it seems to me that the vets have taken over the racing game. i beleive there will be more injuries to horses in the winter time on these deep surface tracks because the horses will not be able to grab on to the track that well

if you ask me, this game is now completely out of control with vets and incompetant people making the foolish rules here.

when i saw pletchers horses this year they certainly looked different than in years past. i could tell a pletcher horse in the morning by seeing how big his behind is, they stick out like a sore thumb. he must have cut back on the amount of steroids he uses these days, because the horses just look like regular other peoples horses.

You're not surprised about that are you? Maybe that is what happened to Curlin...no steroids. Pretty damned sad state of affairs we're in :bang:

[joanied]

I think the key thought in this thread has been......what effect will no caulks have on some horses? A second thought might be how many will still be wearing them illegally? Can we trust trainers to obey the rules? :lol:

The first think I thought when I read this was "first time time no caulks, he breaks down! " Coincidence? Contributing factor? I have no idea, but it just hit me.

With Wanderin' Boy, it may have just been too much for all thsoe old broken bones...but it IS quite a coincidence.
As for running them illiegally...I'm sure they'll be checking shows on every horse in the padock before every race. It'd be awful hard to sneak in with caulks...unlike drugs in the sytem, which can slip by.

[joanied]

Watching the races at Aqueduct when the horses are running on the backside what is in back of the track? Is it houses or business there right behind the track? Where are the barns located?

Really? it was never a pretty race track...and the veiw always sucked...houses all over the place, and the damned airplanes coming in low over the grandstand every few minutes...but the barns were off the backstretch, from the grandstand, a little to the left...but, this was over 25 years ago...so I can't answer your question...someone here can, though.

[joanied]

Watching the races at Aqueduct when the horses are running on the backside what is in back of the track? Is it houses or business there right behind the track? Where are the barns located?

Mineshaft...
Juts did a Google Earth for the Big A...I was curious, thought maybe the barns had been moved...but they are still in the same place...from the grandstand, they're on off the backstretch to the left.
Here's the link to the Google Map page I used...I hope when you click it, it'll take you to the same map I had there...an arial view of the track & backstretch.

http://maps.google.com/?utm_campaign=en&utm_source=en-cpp-na-us-google-ehp&utm_medium=cpp&utm_term=kmlg

PS...Nope...it won't open the map I had...but, you can use the link anyway...and just type in Aqueduct Race Track+Queens+New York...then find the Big A on the map and use the 'satellite' view.
Let me know if you find it.
:) :) :)

[cees with dees]

I was told several trainers are still using mud calks in the rear but the paddock judge isn't even checking so no announcement.
I've always found the front calks are the most significant and really feel like a fish out of water without that edge.
Ordinarily I could confidently bet Scooter Rat today knowing he'd have calks. Now I have to hope for the best.

[joanied]

I was told several trainers are still using mud calks in the rear but the paddock judge isn't even checking so no announcement.
I've always found the front calks are the most significant and really feel like a fish out of water without that edge.
Ordinarily I could confidently bet Scooter Rat today knowing he'd have calks. Now I have to hope for the best.

I may be wrong, but I beleive the caulks on the back feet are allowed. I'm not sure how I feel about banning the front caulks...I have read that running a horse with them on a good track causes the foot to 'stop' when it hits the track and so causes undue stress on the ankles ect.
But not allowing caulks on an off track is asking for trouble...it'll be the oppisite effect...the foot will slide forwards and thus, IMO cause stress to tendons ect also.
I think 'they' should compromise on this...caulks should be allowed for an off track...muddy, sloppy, frozen on top.

[Zman179]

Not sure where you guys were sitting, but I had a great time there Thursday and Saturday. I'd rather be at that track that pretty much any other. Maybe because it just seems so familiar to me.

I'm an "outsider" in that my preferred place to watch and bet the races is from the outside seats, especially between the 70 yard pole and the finish line. The way they have it set up now, the absolute closest you can sit is 70 yards to 1/16th mile past the finish, which makes it downright difficult to determine how closers are coming on towards the leader, and nearly impossible to call a photo. :ThmbDown:

I'm not going to go to Aqueduct to watch the races on TV when I can do that in my living room on Channel 71.

[onefast99]

i think as of december 1st toe grips will be banned all over the country. it seems to me that the vets have taken over the racing game. i beleive there will be more injuries to horses in the winter time on these deep surface tracks because the horses will not be able to grab on to the track that well

if you ask me, this game is now completely out of control with vets and incompetant people making the foolish rules here.

when i saw pletchers horses this year they certainly looked different than in years past. i could tell a pletcher horse in the morning by seeing how big his behind is, they stick out like a sore thumb. he must have cut back on the amount of steroids he uses these days, because the horses just look like regular other peoples horses.
You have hit the nail on the head. I think one of my past trainers won his two training titles due to the vet. I would of liked to see him get a trophy shaped like a hypodermic needle and maybe during his acceptance speech tell everyone he would like to thank the vets for his success. As far as Pletcher goes claiming off of him is the last thing I would ever do. That doesnt take away the fact he is a very good trainer.