Quote:
Originally Posted by ScottJ
Completely agreed. Coming back to our discussion from earlier this week, the inner track racing surface will remain a point of very close scrutiny, particularly after the horsemen's statement and the subsequent meetings.
Hopefully, we will not get rain with the temporary warming expected this weekend - if the surface has frozen spots, you can be sure that the surface will get really loose with thawing and we will have problems with unsafe conditions involving the base.
I acknowledge that my views were clearly in the minority regarding trainer statements earlier this week. Yet despite being in the minority, the number of posters who have cited tremendous claiming dropdowns as an indication that something must be amiss with the horse should be noted. Wait, something amiss with the horse? Certainly, I do not have the experience to differentiate an "ouchy" animal from one who will be a danger to others on the far turn, but there seems to be a tacit acceptance that horses are wildly dropped for a reason. To me, that is a trainer and owner flag. This has been a well-known handicapping "angle", but it points to, well, something potentially wrong.
While the claiming game can be a wide open free-for-all, since the 2012 Report called for a upper clamp placed on claiming purses tied to claiming price, should we implement a downward limit on the amount of a dropdown on the claiming ladder? Perhaps a limit of a 50% claiming price slash? No more than two claiming classes at the home track?
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i don't think there's a tacit acceptance. no one thinks a horse should be run if unsound. a trainer shouldn't risk a horse, along with the safety of riders and other horses, just because they want rid of a horse.
perhaps a steep drop should necessitate a thorough exam by a vet before they let the horse in the gate.