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Thoughts Re Racing Surfaces
It seems to me that the main difference between dirt and tapeta are the ingredients that are added to the sand.
A dirt track cannot be only dirt because it compacts too easily. Sand is added to make the dirt more cushiony.
The main ingredient of tapeta is also sand.
I believe at the micro level, the particles of dirt on a dirt track are small enough to fit between the grains of sand and allow a hoof to dig in and gain traction.
The particles added for tapeta do not fit in between grains of sand so it's more like trying to run on the beach and far more tiring.
Perhaps the effort to run a 6F race on tapeta is more like 7 or 8F on dirt. It would require better conditioning to win on the front end. And maybe an 8F race on tapeta would be more like a 10F race on dirt in terms of equivalent effort.
Also, the shape of the hoof could probably make a difference in gaining traction on tapeta since it's like running on sand.
I would think a properly watered turf course would offer the least resistance of the 3 surfaces. A hoof tip can grab the turf propelling forward most easily.
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