View Single Post
  #2  
Old 09-23-2007, 09:23 PM
JJP JJP is offline
Gulfstream Park
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 1,220
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by GBBob
Last year Arlington insisted over and over that the surface was safe and that the breakdowns were an aberration. The track was tested over and over and found to be flawless. They added more pre race vet inspections and more vets in general. etc, etc, etc. AP wasn't looking for a reason to spend $11 Million on a polytrack. One unfortunate year force their hand. You want to play with statistics? Look at the number of starters in '05 vs '07. I guarantee you the % percentage breakdown was less. Try reading "How to Lie With Statistics"...A quantitive case can be made for almost anything you want. Obviously there are traditionalsists who think poly is to horse racing like the DH is to baseball. Fine, but don't put out lame numbers in the face of real hard numbers...attendance, # of starters, handle, etc
The facts he posted weren't lame. Do you prefer fake dirt racing? I've been betting AP for 25 years and starting this year, will only bet their grass races. The reality is, the Chicago Tribune was on a smear campaign last year against the track and put out so much bad publicity, I'm guessing the track felt they had little choice but to do something. But in retrospect, I believe it was the wrong decision. Funny how tracks like AP and Dmr claim their handle is up, yet I've heard a number of handicappers say they won't bet AP or Dmr, or have cut back play significantly. I don't think I've EVER heard anyone say they'd play a track because it was synthetic. If bunched fields of slow paced races is the future of dirt racing, the coffin is already shut on the sport.
Reply With Quote