Concern over Poly at Keeneland
 

from the courier-journal.

http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/...INESS/71011060

Very interesting, I didn't realize all the breakdowns were in the same area of the track. That would be an amazing coincidence.

could this be because of the heat? They kept talking on ESPN during the telecasts about how the heat had caused the polytrack to gum up and become a much heavy slower surface.......I just found it interesting that all the breakdowns took place during high temps....

Get rid of the stuff except for training. The cushion track seems pretty good in CA, but polytrack is garbage.

I still don't see how heat wouuld affect it. We have raced on the stuff over here when it's been 30+ a couple of sumers back. That would be in the mid 90's for you, i think. We've had no problems with the surface, apart from when there has been heavy snow fall in a short period of time.

I find it hard to believe that the same surface can be acting so differently acoross the Atlantic, which is why i still believe it is the track at fault rather than the surface.

Are they harrowing between racing? Are they harrowing too deep? Has the drainage been installed properly?

Martin Collins has sold this surface as a maitenance free racing surface, and the American tracks seem to have taken his word for it. In reality it isn't maintenance free, far from it, infact. But, if it is maintained properly, it is the safest synthetic surface available.

It is alarming and needs to be thouroughly researched.

not the same as saying the safest surface available.

i think a lot of people thought it was a cure all, it's not. not maintenance free, not injury free, just an alternative surface.

No, he didn't. He sold it as requires less maintenance than dirt. That's true.

They are not harrowing at all at Arlington or Keeneland. The Gallopmaster only hit the track once today at Kee mid-card (the machine that fluffs up the top 2 inches or so). Same as I've seen at Arlington. They pick up manure between races.

People have been working on various synthetic surfaces for at least 20 years. Do research and check. Look at the physics of why such surfaces were invented, and what they are supposed to do for 1100-lb animals galloping over them.

Is it safer? Sure appears that way intially, judging by the current usage in the US. Nobody who sold any of these have ever pubically called their various products, "no injury" surfaces.

What happens to various dirt tracks during a pouring thunderstorm? After three days of good rain? What happens to synthetic surfaces?