Santa Anita Surface

[classhandicapper]

Good read on the issues impacting race times and running style advantages.

http://www.twinspires.com/blog/2014/...nitas-new-dirt

[cj]

Originally Posted by classhandicapper

Good read on the issues impacting race times and running style advantages.

http://www.twinspires.com/blog/2014/...nitas-new-dirt

Nice point about how a track can change for one race. It happens more than people realize. One thing I've learned is that a bunched field at the wire should rarely ever get a big figure. It isn't uncommon for one or two horses to make big jumps, but not entire fields. I'd like to see the specific race he cites.

[ronsmac]

I wonder if Chrome will have an advantage by training at los al. Nbc showed how the new dirt was darker and a different texture than Santa anita's old surface.

[Rex Phinney]

Originally Posted by ronsmac

I wonder if Chrome will have an advantage by training at los al. Nbc showed how the new dirt was darker and a different texture than Santa anita's old surface.

It definitely looks different. The old stuff was very brown, traditional dirt in color. This new stuff looks kind of Burnt orange.

I think this is also what Del Mar is installing, so all three tracks will have the same dirt.

I for one was not happy to hear they were changing the Santa Anita surface. Coming from a "if it isn't broke don't fix it" perspective I thought the old stuff seemed to be pretty good. Our runners out here seemed to be able to replicate their form on the east coast tracks, I'll have Another and California Chrome both came along in the so far short "return to dirt" era. I felt like the Mucho Macho Man and Will Take Charge also came to Santa Anita and ran well, along with Shanghai Bobby and Royal Delta.

[classhandicapper]

Originally Posted by cj

One thing I've learned is that a bunched field at the wire should rarely ever get a big figure. It isn't uncommon for one or two horses to make big jumps, but not entire fields. I'd like to see the specific race he cites.

Perhaps without realizing it, you are engaging in comparative "class" handicapping.

[cj]

Originally Posted by classhandicapper

Perhaps without realizing it, you are engaging in comparative "class" handicapping.

Probably somewhat. I just know that numerically, entire races rarely run new tops. When it looks like they did, something is almost always amiss.

[classhandicapper]

Originally Posted by cj

Probably somewhat. I just know that numerically, entire races rarely run new tops. When it looks like they did, something is almost always amiss.

Yep.

Whenever I see a figure that seems very fast or slow for the class, I look at the margins between the horses and then back at their PPs. It's another clue.