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Originally Posted by the_fat_man
What excels in turf racing is horses that are nimble footed. For a good example watch this horse scoot through on the rail in the Derby. Watch him switch leads and back again in less than 2 strides midstretch. Dirt horses are the ones that are plodders. They have slow feet. They can't switch leads as quickly as turf horses do. Watch a typical turf sprint. Note how the fields are typically tighter packed than most dirt races and how a good number of horses are switching leads repeatedly as they're in tight. Note how horses accelerate after drafting.
You see any of this on the dirt? Note how your trip handicappers are always making excuses for horses that are inside, in tight, between/behind, etc. This is for dirt horses. This **** doesn't apply on the turf, where these things are positives not negatives because these horses are, yes, nimble enough to overcome them.
I realize there's a prejudice towards turf horses here. That they're somehow beneath dirt horses. Well, the best dirt horse in the country last year got humbled both on the turf and poly so maybe there's not that much to that. And this trend will continue later this year at the BC.
You watch any races?
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So by your accounts, the most athletic and nimble horse I've ever seen, Afleet Alex, would have been a superstar on turf? It's possible, especially considering his breeding, but unfortunately we were robbed of seeing him too early. How do you explain the best turf filly in the country being a big lumbering sort with a devastating burst of acceleration?
By the way, switching leads multiple times is NOT a good thing in most cases.