The Spa says who needs Polytrack?
 

I'm kind of wondering where the conmen who push the polytrack scam are now? NYRA deepened the surface over the good cushion and I can recall only one bad breakdown so far in 4 weeks, and im not even sure of that horse was put down, I dont think he was.

Watch out ...

... Sumitas will be coming down on you like a ton of ... ummm ... like a ton of ... errrr ... like a ton of ... polytrack !!!

Maybe after they scrap this $hit they'll be some high dollar kitty litter out there on the market because that's all it's good for if you ask me.

I think the tracks in New York are excellent. They do not need polytracks in New York.

California is a different story. I would think that we could do something else out here but we haven't been able to do anything to fix the tracks. I would rather have polytracks than what we have right now out here. You have no idea how hard it is to keep horses sound out here. Out here, you breeze a horse a half mile in :50 and they come out of the work with puffy ankles. It's crazy.

I wish they could make the tracks out here like they are in New York but I don't think they can. I'd much rather have tracks like the New York tracks than polytrack. But I'd rather have polytrack than what we have right now.

Polytrack=WACKTRACK:D

But Rupert, thats the point. Couldn't they spend half as much throwing down a better cushion and a deeper surface and accomplish the same thing?

Hey ... Del Mar has a huge sand pit in it's back yard ... it's called the beach.

Yup ... I can see it all now ... Del Mar ... the next Big Sandy ... or at least Medium Sandy.

Oracle, do you think that the quality of the horses at Saratoga has influenced the lower number of breakdowns?

I'm not sure if I do, but it is something to think about. It seems like horses who run for more money don't have as high of a chance of breaking down.

Or maybe the trainers who even have a horse that could run at Saratoga aren't the type that would put one out there that is in danger or hurting.

What are your opinions on this?

I think the surface has been deep and not producing 44 half miles like many tracks do. I think thats why its safe. More depth and cushion.

i congratulate Saratoga for a job well done on the track. wasn't it a couple of years ago the NYRA brought in a new groundskeeper ? seems like he's done a great job with the NYRA tracks. but the NYRA i think wants to install the poly on the Aq inner and have a poly training track for Belmont.

does the not for profit NYRA model make for safer surfaces ? i think it does. more money for racing, not only purses and breeding incentives, but solid facilities maintenance as well because shareholders are not an issue.

Oracle, I think you are just looking at one aspect of synthetic surface. The theory behind a synthetic surface is 1) the safety of horse and jock, 2) to keep maintenance costs down and 3) to have a surface that isnt bias. Some tracks (in my opinion) needs a synthetic surface and some don't. I dont think you will find too many people who wont argue that a place like Turfway needed it. Woodbine and the inner track at Aqueduct also need it. Keeneland needs it to make the track more fair. Some west coast track needs it too. I dont think it is as easy as just putting down a deeper surface. Geography plays a huge role in what type of surface is best. Again, a synthetic surface isnt a replacement for dirt, it is an alternative to dirt racing.

I think they say that there is more sand in the east coast tracks and they can't use that much sand out here because there is not enough moisture in the air on the west coast.

Hey Oracle, I guess all these trainers you talk to who hate Polytrack are going to skip the Keeneland meet? I guess we won't see a Pletcher, Dutrow etc etc down in Lexington. Again, trainers will follow the money. Keeneland will be offering 19 stakes worth $5,125,000 and I guess none of these trainers will be competing for this money.

Yikes!

I guess I'll have to repeat myself ...

Profits and shareholders are what makes for tremendous efficiency and overwhelming success ... worldwide. If "no profits" and "no shareholders" were a successful model ... the Soviet Union would be the world's biggest economy.

But guess what? The Soviet Union went out of business ... because that model totally SUCKS.

Can you understand that?

ummm, i read your post the first time.

Maybe a few more times ... and it'll sink in.

Maybe.

I think there will be a significant drop off in the quality of horses at Keeneland, besides Dutrow does not have a stable at Keenelandor if he does, it's very small. Pletcher runs there, but the number of runners he has in the Fall Meet is not as great as the Spring Meet, because Belmont is running during the Fall Meet. You will see significant dropoff in handle at Keeneland beginning this Fall, no one wants to bet on that crap...

not sure if it is correct but I heard 4 breakdowns so far including one on the turf.

This could be the most moronic thing I ever read. Saratoga has no need to go to polytrack. The reason though there are so few breakdowns has nothing to do with the great track surface at Saratoga though. The reason there are so few breakdowns is because of the quality of horses running there. Trainers don't need to run horses that are injured at a meet like Saratoga.

Polytrack would probably be a good idea at Aqueduct though. No need for it at Saratoga or Belmont. It actually is a good surface and Keeneland going to it can only help the horses. The only thing we know about polytrack right now is that it is atleast as safe as dirt and in some tracks where weather is a factor, it is superior.

This reasoning makes no sense, your for Saratoga not having Polytrack is that they are high quality horses that are not sore, but it's a good surface for Keeneland. So you are saying that there are not high quality horses at Keeneland? Is that what you are saying? If that's the case, then you do not make any sense...