Arlington Million at Churchill

[Cholly]

They just ran the Beverly D--sure was a lot of sand flying off what's labeled as a "turf" course. Time was a new course record.

Jockeys who will be riding later in the Million surely noticed the Beverly D was a classic boat race--there was not a single change of position; could be some gunning out of the gate in the Million.

[PalaceOfFortLarned]

Originally Posted by Cholly

They just ran the Beverly D--sure was a lot of sand flying off what's labeled as a "turf" course. Time was a new course record.

Jockeys who will be riding later in the Million surely noticed the Beverly D was a classic boat race--there was not a single change of position; could be some gunning out of the gate in the Million.

That turf course was an absolute joke today.

They better not run race on that crapfest again for quite a while. They raced today basically for those 2 G1 turf races and absolutely embarrassed themselves.

[ScottJ]

Originally Posted by PalaceOfFortLarned

That turf course was an absolute joke today.

They better not run race on that crapfest again for quite a while. They raced today basically for those 2 G1 turf races and absolutely embarrassed themselves.

If I was a senior executive associated with CDI, my first order of business would be to call NYRA CEO and President David O'Rourke come Sunday morning and beg to hire Glen Kozak (or part of his team) on a consultancy basis until this turf course situation is cured. That turf course had more stretch divots than my local golf course after I play eighteen - and that is saying something.

[The_Turf_Monster]

Originally Posted by ScottJ

If I was a senior executive associated with CDI, my first order of business would be to call NYRA CEO and President David O'Rourke come Sunday morning and beg to hire Glen Kozak (or part of his team) on a consultancy basis until this turf course situation is cured. That turf course had more stretch divots than my local golf course after I play eighteen - and that is saying something.

Or just maintain it like AP did

[classhandicapper]

Originally Posted by Cholly

They just ran the Beverly D--sure was a lot of sand flying off what's labeled as a "turf" course. Time was a new course record.

Jockeys who will be riding later in the Million surely noticed the Beverly D was a classic boat race--there was not a single change of position; could be some gunning out of the gate in the Million.

It was like dirt painted green. Both races are pretty close to a toss for anyone that didn’t do any running yesterday and I’d be a bit suspect of the top 2 horses in both races when they come back. The 4 were all good horses that probably would have run well anyway, but they had help.

[Tom]

It looked like a pool table in a biker-dive bar.
CD taking over the ARLINGTON day is like the Beverly Hillbillies in the fancy eatin' room.

[HottalkersinKY]

yes and their inflated prices for food and beverage and admission for the day
churchill is a mess

[headhawg]

CD must have hired the same turf maintenance team that works at Soldier Field.

[Tom]

I was thinking more like Potter's Field!

[JohnGalt1]

Originally Posted by classhandicapper

It was like dirt painted green. Both races are pretty close to a toss for anyone that didn’t do any running yesterday and I’d be a bit suspect of the top 2 horses in both races when they come back. The 4 were all good horses that probably would have run well anyway, but they had help.

I got used to betting green painted dirt at Gulfstream pre 2022.

[HottalkersinKY]

Guess they want be running any turf races during that sept. meet
at least the trainers have ky downs and keeneland meets

[azeri98]

Why the in the hell would they try to grow a Bermuda based grass course in Kentucky? It's native to Florida and Gulfstream has abandoned it. IMO they will have to replace the Bermuda with something else. Here'sa though. How about Kentucky Blue grass?

[dilanesp]

Originally Posted by azeri98

Why the in the hell would they try to grow a Bermuda based grass course in Kentucky? It's native to Florida and Gulfstream has abandoned it. IMO they will have to replace the Bermuda with something else. Here'sa though. How about Kentucky Blue grass?

I am not an expert on turf courses but I suspect the basic problem is that any surface that you run a lot of races over, especially during a period when there isn't a lot of rain, is going to get torn up over time. When I am at the track, I see the workers out there tamping down the course, replacing divots, etc., after every turf race.

I remember a couple of years ago, Santa Anita just announced they were going to give the turf course a break for a couple of weeks.

Grass management isn't unique to horse racing. The NFL, for instance, puts a lot of effort into it and they had an expert, the Kansas City Chiefs' George Toma, who supervised some of their most difficult problems with torn up grass. And when I was younger, baseball fields routinely got torn up late into the season; MLB has clearly switched to different protocols/different grass in the last 20 years or so, because you no longer see torn up grass in September.

Bottom line, I bet this problem isn't simple and I trust the good faith of Churchill's people.

[foregoforever]

Originally Posted by dilanesp

Bottom line, I bet this problem isn't simple and I trust the good faith of Churchill's people.

As did the folks in Illinois.

[the little guy]

Originally Posted by azeri98

Why the in the hell would they try to grow a Bermuda based grass course in Kentucky? It's native to Florida and Gulfstream has abandoned it. IMO they will have to replace the Bermuda with something else. Here'sa though. How about Kentucky Blue grass?

This is, and always was, the big question.