WO and TP are closer to dirt in speed and kindness to front-runners, but the dynamics of the race are much different.
At WO and TP the kickback is so bad that horses usually run three wide on the lead and generally race outside. Saving ground on the rail as in a dirt race will guarantee a trachea full of junk.

isn't santa anita going with cushion track??? that's what hollywood has...hate to be difficult, but all artificial surfaces are NOT polytrack-which is a brand name. much like tapeta, or of course cushion--which horsemen liked just fine at hollywood.

or maybe everyone can just hire hollywoods track super and crew!

didn't hollywood encourage horsemen to let them know how the track seemed? who better to ask, and what better time to make adjustments then training time--not once the meet opens!

I totally get it. The race was run exactly how every other race has been run at Del Mar. Horses on the lead or near the lead have a difficult time winning the race. The consistency in Del Mar is that right now it seems to be inconsistent. Turfway and Keeneland were inconsistant at first, but with some good notes and some good data one can make money at Del Mar in the future. I could care less what time the race was clocked in, as long as my selection comes in first.

I do agree with you that there should be some moisture put into these synthetic surfaces.

It's the same track for all. I don't see a need for moisture, that's a waste of water. The times are a relative thing. Only relative to Del Mar, not other tracks.

Some horses can run on the shiat and some can't. That was pretty obvious.

Agreed... I've had nothing but respect for him since the Pacific Classic in '04... That's the type of race that ends most "good" horses career, and he's won I think 6 Grade 1's since then...

shut out test.

The DM track is just fine. There's a winner in every race.
The usual losers are crying and whining as always. What else is new?

"Time" is for the Swiss in case anyone is interested.

As for Lava Man, put a fork in he's done.

That was Hello Sunday's best race. He hasn't got anymore than that. Never saw the 2nd horse on the far outside. It didn't really matter, he wouldn't have beaten the winner if the Red Sea opened.

Yes, which was basically the point I was trying to make to "Bobby Fischer" before. Just because Santa Anita has artificial and Del Mar has artificial doesn't mean that the '08 BC is going to look like this meet at Del Mar (thankfully). Even each polytrack plays differently, and the difference between cushion and poly seem substantial. Just ask AP Xcellent and Lava Man.

Tough crowd -- a real tough crowd, LOL.

Eric

Looking @ the PP's of the Pacific Classic, with the exception of Lava Man, none of the other horses impressed me enough to truly rule out any of them out. Here are some items I noticed of the other runners.

0 winners @ distance (LM 6 of 9)
3 GSW, (no G1's) of these 3 only Awesome Gem(2nd) has ran @ the dist.
5 has Beyered in the 100s w/ the tops being on dirt or cushion track.
Arson Squad w/106 BSF is much better on dirt.
Awesome Gem (105) top is on dirt also.

If you could rule out Lava Man on the win,the race then becomes wide open.
Looking @ the replay SC started his run earlier than AG did, and AG almost caught him.
SC just looked like a new horse on poly.

The race looked like most others on the West Coast, 1 big horse running against lower quality and he didnt fire his best.

Look @ Street Sense, he lost on polytrack and seems to favor a deeper dirt surface to run on. Unless there is a change, I won't have him on my win ticket in the BC @ Monmouth since its a speed favoring track which doesn't suit his running style.