Santa Anita Shuts Down

[ultracapper]

But, the one thing that we can not discount Chad, is that this Santa Anita meet has been different from other Santa Anita meets in one way, and that is, the amount of rain and the need to work the track into race shape in a way they haven't had to do in many years. That's the isolated difference between this meet and other SA meets.

As far as I know, there were no major changes done to the dirt track between the short fall meet and the beginning of the major winter/spring meet. Or am I wrong about that?

It makes me real nervous how the daughter came out and put the focus on drugs with very little prodding. It looked very defensive to me. It's her organization's responsibility to maintain the track, and she jumps on trainers and vets. Not that trainers and vets don't deserve some attention, but that act by the daughter looked real knee-jerk defensive.

They look committed to opening 3/29. Is that how others see it?

[the little guy]

Originally Posted by Jeff P

Andy, you're right. (I stand corrected.)

Allow me to rephrase my post:


Better?


-jp

.

Not to me Jeff. It's conspiracy theory conjecture that only serves to further demonize people. Your asking a question with sinister implications.

A very unfortunate part of social media, and surely this is a far bigger concern in general and not just racing, is that many people with no real information make statements as though they are fact, when they are ( in fact ) far from it. I see it constantly in racing. I can only imagine how much it must happen overall. My question to you, someone who is extraordinarily knowledgeable about a lot of things is racing, is why perpetuate this practice. Your skill set has a lot to offer in so many other ways.

[Jeff P]

If the way I phrased that has sinister implications so be it.

It was long before Twitter was created, but I seem to recall a similar silencing incident that happened to another Blood-Horse reporter who had interviewed me at length about the fall off in handle at Los Al after their takeout hike.

In my mind, racing would be so much better off if all of its decision makers championed transparency and actual journalism.



-jp

.

[Redboard]

I'm surprised so many breakdowns have been occurring during workouts. Does anybody know why in Southern California 95% of all works are listed as “Handily(H)”, where back east the majority of works are listed as “Breezing(B)”? Do they work them harder our west? I seem to recall Baffert having a rep for working his horses out harder.

[AskinHaskin]

The media attention on the 22 deaths, and the numerical deviation from whatever normal is, are each unfortunate.

But, of the 22 fatalities, just 4 of them raced last out on a fast dirt surface.

The dates of those fast-track races were as follows:

Dec. 30, (2018)

Jan. 11, (2019)

Jan. 21, (2019)

Feb. 18, (2019)



For the sake of the media, every unique sample among the 22 has been grouped together unfairly just to fan the flames and stir the pot.

The raw data certainly suggests that no one is going to dig a hole in the middle of the Santa Anita main track somewhere and find a magic (Hong Kong-like) dart which is then agreed upon by (any number of people who matter ) as being the culprit in this entire search for answers.

Some of the speculation making the rounds even here is waaaaaaaaaaaay too far out there.


The weather and the many wet tracks are far more probably near to the core of any commonality than is any other single element.

The drought map at this link lets you enter a date and see a U.S. map with color coding for drought on a certain date:

https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/Maps/MapArchive.aspx


Merely compare Dec. 25, 2018 (at which point nearly all of California was somehow affected by drought) to the present (when California is nearly bare of drought) for a sense of just how wet it has been in California. (for comparison, check out Nevada, Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona's progress over the same 3 months)

(feel free to compare Dec. 26th-ish readings for past recent years to March-ish readings for their corresponding {SA race meetings} to gain further sense of this)

That alone assures quite the aberrant weather cycle of the sort more likely central to the whole picture behind the many fatalities at Santa Anita than any other single factor.

Of course the SA brass fully bungled their response to (some other, barely tangential problem) in place of actually addressing the issue put before them BY the riot-hungry media.

It's far more likely the weather than it is some drug in a can, in some backstretch barn (but never yours) which is the culprit in all of this.

But keep fanning the flames if you are excited by the media frenzy.

[the little guy]

Originally Posted by Jeff P

In my mind, racing would be so much better off if all of its decision makers championed transparency and actual journalism.



-jp

.

The entire world would be better off if this was the case in every situation, racing and otherwise. However, you applying something sinister because you have a feeling belies the responsibility you have given yourself as a horseplayer's advocate.

[davew]

Originally Posted by the little guy

Not to me Jeff. It's conspiracy theory conjecture that only serves to further demonize people. Your asking a question with sinister implications.

A very unfortunate part of social media, and surely this is a far bigger concern in general and not just racing, is that many people with no real information make statements as though they are fact, when they are ( in fact ) far from it. I see it constantly in racing. I can only imagine how much it must happen overall. My question to you, someone who is extraordinarily knowledgeable about a lot of things is racing, is why perpetuate this practice. Your skill set has a lot to offer in so many other ways.

I agree, but it is not just social media ... watch MSNBC or CNN and 80% of their 'fact' is just a hope and a prayer.

[Jeff P]

Originally Posted by the little guy

The entire world would be better off if this was the case in every situation, racing and otherwise. However, you applying something sinister because you have a feeling belies the responsibility you have given yourself as a horseplayer's advocate.

Point taken.


-jp

.

[Redboard]

Originally Posted by AskinHaskin

The …...


The weather and the many wet tracks are far more probably near to the core of any commonality than is any other single element.

…

It’s obvious to everybody what the problem is, except SA. Belinda Stronach knew she had to do something so she picked the cheapest option — blame the horsemen’s medication practices. This takes nothing out of her pocket(except maybe extra drug testing, which people will forget about anyway), whereas if she came out and blamed the condition of the track, she’d be responsible for replacing it, which would cost mucho buck$. . Maybe her father’s lawsuit against her is draining her reserves:

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-45806257

So maybe Tom is right, it is Frank’s fault.

[Dahossdaboss]

Originally Posted by davew

I agree, but it is not just social media ... watch Fox News and 80% of their 'fact' is just a hope and a prayer.

FTFY

Why bring politics into this?

[the little guy]

Originally Posted by davew

I agree, but it is not just social media ... watch FOX News and 80% of their 'fact' is just a hope and a prayer.

I couldn't agree more.

[chadk66]

Originally Posted by Dahossdaboss

When is the last year you trained? Also, have you ever ran a horse on this particular surface?

I mean no one is really going to believe all sealed surfaces are the same, right?

91 was last year. I have not rode on SA surface. But have on probably a dozen others including keeneland, Churchill, oaklawn, Cby, all chicago tracks and couple Ohio tracks and Asd. They are all relatively close when sealed. Feal different when dry due to different soil types and depth they are worked.

[jocko699]

Originally Posted by the little guy

I couldn't agree more.

That's cute how you changed Dave's quote.

[chadk66]

Originally Posted by ultracapper

But, the one thing that we can not discount Chad, is that this Santa Anita meet has been different from other Santa Anita meets in one way, and that is, the amount of rain and the need to work the track into race shape in a way they haven't had to do in many years. That's the isolated difference between this meet and other SA meets.

As far as I know, there were no major changes done to the dirt track between the short fall meet and the beginning of the major winter/spring meet. Or am I wrong about that?

It makes me real nervous how the daughter came out and put the focus on drugs with very little prodding. It looked very defensive to me. It's her organization's responsibility to maintain the track, and she jumps on trainers and vets. Not that trainers and vets don't deserve some attention, but that act by the daughter looked real knee-jerk defensive.

They look committed to opening 3/29. Is that how others see it?

Excessive rain and training on it can put a world of hurt on the base. I suspect that’s what the biggest issue is. Everybody is going to point the finger at the other person. If this was happening at numerous other tracks it would be a no brainer.

[chadk66]

Originally Posted by Redboard

I'm surprised so many breakdowns have been occurring during workouts. Does anybody know why in Southern California 95% of all works are listed as “Handily(H)”, where back east the majority of works are listed as “Breezing(B)”? Do they work them harder our west? I seem to recall Baffert having a rep for working his horses out harder.

That fact right there is the biggest indicator it’s a track issue. Specifically the base