If dirt tracks received this much attention

[Bruddah]

and money, we would still be racing on dirt. If there are still those which think artificial surfaces is about what's best for the horse,...Wake the F**k Up!! It's all about Globalization of the Sport. Plain and simple, it's about nothing else but trying to find a surface that the Euro's will come over and race their horses. Grass Turf can't take the long term abuse, and they won't race on dirt.

http://www.drf.com/news/article/106546.html

[andymays]

and money, we would still be racing on dirt. If there are those that thin artificial surfaces is about what's best for the horse and horse player...Wake the F**k Up!! It's all about Globalization of the Sport. Plain and simple, it's about nothing else.

http://www.drf.com/news/article/106546.html


Amen Bruddah! :ThmbUp:

Every few day an article comes out about a synthetic surface somewhere. It never ends. The surface shouldn't be an issue all the time but it sure is. I guess they know whats best for us don't they? :bang:

[DJofSD]

I spoke with a casual acquantance at work yesterday. She has attended DMR on opening day in past years and has seen me there on a handful of occasions, so, she will ask me about the track, racing and handicapping. Well, this time around, it was me asking her 'are you going to the track' and 'I've not seen you this year, are you going to go to DMR?'.

Her answer took me by surprise. "No. They got some new surface and the horses are dying. I am not going to go any more."

It made me think about how many casual fans that racing has lost. Once they get turned off, do think they'll bother to come back, even if by some miracle the dirt surface is replaced? I don't think so. They could spent a ton of money advertising 'classic racing on a classic surface' or 'racing the way it was always meant to be' but they won't reach those folks that have walked away. They're gone for good. I fear racing has shot itself in the foot and it's turning out to be a fatal wound.

[Java Gold@TFT]

One of the ironies lost in all of this resurfacing is the excuses for the opening week breakdowns at each track. At Del Mar it was because horse had been racing and training at Hol and they weren't prepared for the change in surface. Same excuse at SA when they lost 6 horses just after Christmas last year. Now they are changing all of the surfaces all over again. Trainers have bitched constantly about the daily changes in the surface and the maintenece. Now they are completely re-doing the other tracks which will just lead to more issues going from one track to the next. Why the hell has Baffert only had two staters so far at Saratoga? He hates the crap in SO Cal but he still puts his horses in harms way. I know that's where his clients are but that hasn't stopped him for the last 4 or 5 years.

[ghostyapper]

Isn't hollywood park supposed to become a shopping center/apartment complex next year?

[robert99]

and money, we would still be racing on dirt. If there are still those which think artificial surfaces is about what's best for the horse,...Wake the F**k Up!! It's all about Globalization of the Sport. Plain and simple, it's about nothing else but trying to find a surface that the Euro's will come over and race their horses. Grass Turf can't take the long term abuse, and they won't race on dirt.

http://www.drf.com/news/article/106546.html

Euros have been racing in USA and Canada long before last year's BCup.
At the BCup we race on any track we are invited to. No special pleadings whatever.
Your link did not refer to Globalisation.
Globalisation only effects the very best horses due to costs and has been going on decades before any polytrack types came to USA.

[andymays]

http://www.nctimes.com/sports/equestrian/racing/article_22ff555c-a8b1-5e75-b5ba-83c239b43285.html

"The morning injuries are very puzzling. We continue to look at a lot of different things. To me, the track has been incredibly consistent."

Every Reporter that's been covering Del Mar has said just the opposite. Del Mar's surface is anything but consistent. It gets slower on Wednesday and gradually speeds up into Sunday.

It has been "incredibly consistent" when it comes to losing Horses in the morning and afternoon though. Maybe that's what Tom Robbins was trying to say in his quote?

No matter what happens they come out and say something that could only be characterized as stunning! :bang:

[racingplanet]

The surface isnt an issue for Euros. Dirt or Poly they will still come to the Breeders Cup for prize money and stud value enhancement. I dont know what your impression is of of Polytrack racing in Europe, but the truth is that it rarely sees a decent horse. The top flat horses run in The Summer and that is 99% turf racing. In the Winter you get low grade racing and the number of races that would equate to say a G2 or G3 Stateside you can count on the fingers of one hand. Its true however that Poly does give any Euro shippers a better chance than if the race was on dirt, primarly because we dont train our horses for early speed. If they have it great, but its not banged into them like you do to get them ready for winning on dirt.

[46zilzal]

Isn't hollywood park supposed to become a shopping center/apartment complex next year?
they just put in a new surface, but then Bay Meadows re-surfaced their turf course the season before the bulldozers came in too