Zayat is Leaving; Baffert hates it

[King Glorious]

Originally Posted by ELA

More on this story . . .

http://www.drf.com/news/article/87205.html

I see both sides of the fence on this. However, as much as I hate to say it, I think a good amount of the criticism is "crying" -- and that's not meant as criticism.

The bettor is used to, wants, is looking for, etc. -- a bias, pattern, trend, whatever you want to call it. Reliability is something that could be ideal, but it plays both ways. Regardless, does this make handicapping more difficult? It sure does. Of course. But we have to act, react, and adapt to that. It's not the same arguement that Baffert is making -- two different tracks -- nobody bets on "races in the morning" and if you can't see what the works are, mean, and are reflective of, etc., well that's another issue.

The trainer -- is looking for consistency. Sure, in an ideal world, that would be ideal. It's safe, reliable, etc. However, Baffert is taking this arguement to an extreme; or perhaps Zayat is. This is not taking the speed out of the track, or the game. It's a byproduct, not a goal. Cause and effect? Should there be tweaking? OK, but I think in the larger picture, that decision needs to be left to the experts -- or the closest ones to being an expert, and I don't think Baffert or Zayat fall into that camp.

The majority of the trainers and jocks I've spoke with are positive about the surface. Sure, there's a learning curve, a life-cycle, and change is inevitable -- liked, disliked, wanted, or not.

I think Baffert is distorting the real issue here. Talking about "taking the speed out" is somewhat narrow-minded. How does it affect him more than others? Because of the yearlings, 2yo's, etc. he bought? What about other trainers? It's a futile arguement.

The claims of the manufacturers about maintenence, ongoing costs, and everything else is also not the issue here. You can't unring a bell. That's more scapegoat type of excuses to distort or deflect the arguement as well. I don't think that saying "weather was neglected" or not taken into consideration, or anything of the like for that matter, justifies anything.

Eric

Adjusting to Polytrack
By STEVE ANDERSEN
DEL MAR, Calif. - The first two weeks of racing on Del Mar's new Polytrack synthetic surface have left trainer Art Sherman baffled at times on the best way to prepare his horses.

He says the course he trains over in the morning is firmer than it is during the afternoon, when abundant sunshine makes the course more tiring. It has not been an easy transition for a trainer long-accustomed to racing on a speed-oriented conventional dirt track, and it has forced him to change his training style.

"I let them gallop and open up in the last part," he said, referring to a quicker finish during morning exercise. "I'm putting more miles in them. I'm training hard. I'm trying to adapt in how I train. It's been a long process.

"A couple of horses that ran well at Hollywood Park, I thought they'd run well and they staggered in."

Put simply, Sherman wishes the course played quicker, but realizes that is unlikely to occur.

"I've had a couple of different issues," Sherman said. "I think we have two different tracks from the morning to the afternoon. I wish they could tighten it down. If they could tighten it down, that would be the way to go."

Sherman said one adjustment he has made is expecting slower times for workouts and races. He had two horses - All Thee B and Movie Fan - work six furlongs in 1:16.80 on Wednesday morning. On a conventional dirt track, or even a Cushion Track synthetic surface such as Hollywood Park's, that would be slow time, but the time did not concern Sherman.

"That was a decent work," he said. "They would have gone in 1:14 on a different surface. You have to adjust."

Friday, Sherman starts Mike's Trippin in the eighth race, a maiden claimer over 5 1/2 furlongs. Mike's Trippin, winless in six starts, has enough speed to be an early factor. How the 3-year-old will handle his first start on Polytrack is a mystery to Sherman.

Sherman is convinced that Mike's Trippin needs every advantage to win Friday. He fears the track is not conducive to front-runners, which will make it more difficult for Mike's Trippin to win despite the race's short distance.

The modest race is Mike's Trippin's first start as a gelding, according to Sherman, who took the precaution of shipping the 3-year-old from Hollywood Park to Del Mar last week to give him a few extra days of training on Polytrack.

"He's a speed horse," Sherman said. "Maybe by the last race, the track might tighten up."
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Riot, u asked what others? Shirreffs and Sherman to name a couple who have come forward in the past day. As I said, if u know anyone that works around there or anyone that knows anyone, ask. U will come to realize there are others.