Santa Anita Back To Dirt ?

[David-LV]

Is a switch back to a tried and true dirt surface in Santa Anita's future??

It appears that the CHRB synthetic surface mandate has been lifted due to the major failure of this type of surface being installed at Santa Anita.

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David

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A potential return to dirt racing at Santa Anita has the preliminary support of Richard Shapiro, the chairman of the California Horse Racing Board and a major proponent of synthetic tracks in recent years.

Shapiro backed away from that mandate in an interview of the weekend, but remained hopeful that Santa Anita would install a different synthetic surface later this year.

“If, at the end of the day, Santa Anita comes forward and said, We’ve looked at the options and we believe for the safety of the horse and rider that we’ve got a plan to put in a dirt track on top of a good solid base, and they would put in a track that was safe, personally, I’m not totally opposed to that,” he said


http://www.drf.com/news/article/92531.html

[David-LV]

Baffert Wants Dirt Put Back
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It looks like Mr. Baffert was right after all.

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David


http://www.dailybulletin.com/ci_7917702

Santa Anita Leaving Track Options Open

By Art Wilson

Quote:
… Baffert said Tuesday he is hopeful Santa Anita will return to a dirt surface now that all Southland racing venues have had to fix the bases of their tracks in order to install artificial surfaces.

"It took something like this to really put the big money into the base, which they've already done," Baffert said. "So now (that) they've got good bases, they can put dirt on top.

"I would love to see, and I think a lot of trainers don't want to speak up, but if they found the right kind of dirt, do it right, leave it up to Richard Tedesco (track superintendent), and if he can find the right kind of soil or dirt to put on there, I think everybody would be happy."

Charles would not comment on whether Santa Anita has washed its hands of the company, even if the the racetrack decided to install a new synthetic surface when this meet ends.

"I think we're going to leave all options open," Charles said.

[PaceAdvantage]

If Santa Anita does go back to dirt, this must be considered a MAJOR blow to the synthetic dreamers....

After all, if one of the biggest name tracks in the industry can't make a go of this stuff, why would anyone else make the leap of faith in the future?

[BillW]

Originally Posted by PaceAdvantage

If Santa Anita does go back to dirt, this must be considered a MAJOR blow to the synthetic dreamers....

After all, if one of the biggest name tracks in the industry can't make a go of this stuff, why would anyone else make the leap of faith in the future?

I don't understand how we all feel they won't screw up putting in a dirt track. It wasn't the track makeup that caused the problem, it was their incompetence.

[TitanSooner]

Originally Posted by BillW

I don't understand how we all feel they won't screw up putting in a dirt track. It wasn't the track makeup that caused the problem, it was their incompetence.

you mean Cushion Track's incompentence.. right?

[David-LV]

Originally Posted by PaceAdvantage

If Santa Anita does go back to dirt, this must be considered a MAJOR blow to the synthetic dreamers....

After all, if one of the biggest name tracks in the industry can't make a go of this stuff, why would anyone else make the leap of faith in the future?

Mike,

From your mouth to God's ears.

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David

[ny0707ny]

I feel sorry for all betters out there if Breeders' Cup is on poly. It is impossible to know what horse likes the surface unless they raced on it before. And each poly track runs different from the next one.

We didn't have the poly tracks all these years. Now they all have to put them in? Horses still get injured on the poly tracks so it does not solve any problems really.

If New York tracks go to Poly I may quit following the sport for good.

[BillW]

Originally Posted by TitanSooner

you mean Cushion Track's incompentence.. right?

I would hold SA mgmt responsible ( especially if I were a stockholder!). It's their responsibility to maintain their track.

[David-LV]

Originally Posted by TitanSooner

you mean Cushion Track's incompentence.. right?

What was so great about Del Mar's Poly Garbage ??

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David

[Marshall Bennett]

I'm still pissed at what they did to Keeneland with that crap . I loved that racetrack . What was once a truely unique setting , a meet that everyone looked forward to , is now just another synthetic pile of shit nightmare !!

[TitanSooner]

Originally Posted by David-LV

What was so great about Del Mar's Poly Garbage ??

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David

um, it drained.

[TitanSooner]

Originally Posted by BillW

I would hold SA mgmt responsible ( especially if I were a stockholder!). It's their responsibility to maintain their track.

Was it their job to install it properly?

I would be more pissed at the CHRB for the stupid mandate in the first place than I would be at SA..

[BillW]

Originally Posted by TitanSooner

Was it their job to install it properly?

I would be more pissed at the CHRB for the stupid mandate in the first place than I would be at SA..

I'm not talking about some ideological hatred for artificial surfaces. I'm talking about management being responsible for what it is required to run a business. All businesses are faced with government mandates and requirements that they must deal with to be successful. Failure to do so is not the governments fault.

Should it be decided that they will replace their current track with a dirt track they will be faced with the same apparently unsurmountable challenge of identifying, hiring and overseeing a subcontractor retained to install a track that they were when they began the original project to install the artificial surface. The fact that is dirt has no bearing on their success. If the same mistakes are made, the same outcome will result.

[TitanSooner]

Originally Posted by BillW

I'm not talking about some ideological hatred for artificial surfaces. I'm talking about management being responsible for what it is required to run a business. All businesses are faced with government mandates and requirements that they must deal with to be successful. Failure to do so is not the governments fault.

Should it be decided that they will replace their current track with a dirt track they will be faced with the same apparently unsurmountable challenge of identifying, hiring and overseeing a subcontractor retained to install a track that they were when they began the original project to install the artificial surface. The fact that is dirt has no bearing on their success. If the same mistakes are made, the same outcome will result.

I understand what you are getting at and your point is well taken.

The main difference I see is that installing a new dirt surface as opposed to another aw track is that the new dirt surface isn't "manufactured" by anybody.

I do agree with the oversight of the subcontractor to install it properly. But it was cushion tracks fault that caused the drainage issue.. they tried to tinker with a successful surface (at hollywood it has been) to try and prevent a problem with excessive heat in september and october, and it had an adverse effect in that it prevented proper drainage.

As far as the mandate issue, it's true that business deal with that all of the time. However, they are usually given a reasonable time frame to make the proper adjustments.

I'm not sticking up for Santa Anita, just trying to give them the benefit of the doubt.

[BillW]

Originally Posted by TitanSooner

I understand what you are getting at and your point is well taken.

The main difference I see is that installing a new dirt surface as opposed to another aw track is that the new dirt surface isn't "manufactured" by anybody.

This is the point I'm getting at too. A dirt track is about as complicated as a synth track. Drainage, base layers etc. It's not a simple issue. You really have to know what you are doing in either case. (two examples that come to mind: CT Chute issues a few years ago after installing a new track, HOL turf track hosed for a whole meet also a few years back)

I do agree with the oversight of the subcontractor to install it properly. But it was cushion tracks fault that caused the drainage issue.. they tried to tinker with a successful surface (at hollywood it has been) to try and prevent a problem with excessive heat in september and october, and it had an adverse effect in that it prevented proper drainage.

No doubt SA mgmt. has reason to go after the installer, assuming they weren't complicit in the decisions that led to the problems.

As far as the mandate issue, it's true that business deal with that all of the time. However, they are usually given a reasonable time frame to make the proper adjustments.

I'm not sticking up for Santa Anita, just trying to give them the benefit of the doubt.

In most all cases I hate unnecessary gov't intervention, including this one. But given the fact that the mandate was in place, it is time for mgmt. to perform or take their lumps.