Del Mar - Initial thoughts?

[The Indomitable DrugS]

Originally Posted by ArlJim78

What conclusion did you draw from your pace analysis of those races?

For starters, the 10K claiming race for fillies, the first route race run over Del Mar's polytrack was the race that went 47 1/5ths to the half.

After the second route race had been run, it was quickly appearent to everyone that horses can't use any of their speed early on in route races.

The conclusions are obvious. You can't use your horse early, and you have to make one-run.

Originally Posted by ArlJim78

You said the races were ugly, I'm curious what that means. I'm being honest when I say that to me, it seems that the races are being called ugly only because your traditonal pace analysis methods do not shed any light on the outcome, that they are the wrong tool.

Basically, these races can't be run like true horse races. Pace doesn't have anything to do with it. Horses are reserved early on in turf races, but they can showcase exciting acceleration through the late stages.

These races are very ugly to watch, only to someone who actually loves watching traditional horse racing.

If you look at yesterdays feature race, a field of very good older males in a 75K ALW race struggled through 8.5 furlongs in 1:47. Basically, horses can't use their exciting natural abilities, and they just have to try and be as reserved as possible for as long as possible, and simply try to be the least tired horse in the race, in order to win.

I don't have a problem with polytrack from a handicappres prospective, however, from a racing fans prospective....it makes horse racing look boring unwatchable.