I think synthetics, on the whole, have not been good for racing in this country. I don't think I'm alone in that opinion.

FTFY.

I must have missed the part where he said he hates it because Beyer was struggling with making figures for it.

I rarely if ever use figures when I handicap and I can't stand the "racing" over it either. One has nothing to do with the other.

I agree, I wasn't paying attention.

I also agree with why they don't go to California.

I would run a dirt horse at Hollywood, but not the others.

i was giving him an example of a trainer who prefers dirt over synthetic, that's all.

A waste of a response. If you want to bash me, at least do it with some sort of response to the subject.

Another waste of a response.

dude thats everyone, other than maybe Christoph clement or James Cassidy.

I don't mind synthetics, but I wish everyone would recognize that is truly is a 3rd surface along with dirt and grass. Comparisons across the lines get blurred, so it's impossible to make definitive statements about ability which is what the Zenyatta crowd wants to ignore. A great runner and the best synthetic runner in 5 years, but there is no history beyond that to make any definitive statements. Right now, the history of racing in America is largely a history of dirt racing, and on dirt Zenyatta has proven very little with a couple of Oaklawn wins and a scratch (afraid of off track) at Churchill. Maybe we will look back in 50 years if all tracks are synthetic and say Zenyatta is the greatest, but that's a long way in the future.

I did a quick scan of the 3 most prestigious races in So Cal, The Hollywood Gold Cup, The Pacific Classic and the Santa Anita Handicap, winners only. Only 2 eastern based horses have won any running of these races since 1995 Cigar and Skip Away before the sythetics age. If winners are any indication, the evidence does not show horses ship out west any more than they do now. Einstein shipped and won on rubber, so I see no difference they would ship out west more if it were dirt or atleast as it pertains to winners.

EInstein? You mean Einstein, the TURF horse?

Interesting that Zenyatta has spent nearly her entire career in Southern California and hasn't made a start in any of the "3 most prestigious races in So Cal..."

You do know she is a filly/mare.

Excuses are like a-holes.

You do know that fillies/mares run against males often.

And she did win the BC Classic.

Does this ever get old?

You know, I hate that the Breeders Cup has expanded as much as it has, but with synthetics in play, it's just not possible to fairly run the Breeders Cup at a single track. The synthetics horses need to be separated into their own divisions. Honestly.

For the record, you brought her up. You then posted she didn't run in either the Pacific Classic, Hollywood Gold Cup and Big Cap as to infer she never raced against males. So I mentioned the BC Classic to you, yes this never gets old...for you.

The topic is about Zenyatta. I found it interesting that even you acknowledge that she has avoided the most prestigious races in the area she has spent nearly her entire career. Races that she was eligible for and could have run in.

I never inferred she has never raced against males. I'm familiar with her racing record. I was commenting that this all time great has not run in any of those prestigious races. How many other all time greats can we say the same thing about?