Street Sense, Hard Spun face off on the Polytrack

[cmorioles]

Originally Posted by Danzig

i didn't know poly was supposed to only favor closers...didn't seem the case when hard spun won on it in the spring.

There were about 4 mules, 3 donkeys, and 3 slugs in the field along with Hard Spun...if memory serves.

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by cmorioles

There were about 4 mules, 3 donkeys, and 3 slugs in the field along with Hard Spun...if memory serves.

but which of those were the closers this track was supposed to favor??

[NTamm1215]

I will say, first off, that I literally pay attention to Turfway twice yearly, so my comments may be way off, that's why I'd like other opinions. But, all I can recall from last year's Ky Cup and this year's Lane's End card was that speed was golden. I don't recall any winners from off the pace.

Am I completely wrong?

NT

[Bobby Fischer]

How do you think Borel will ride Street Sense?

Is he going to stay outside, and near the front, so he doesn't eat that kickback?
If he doesn't, does he have a chance to win? If he does, is that the form they want to carry to the BC?

[sumitas]

it seems to me the poly bashers always complain that poly kills speed and favors closers, regardless of the track. are we seeing a shift away from that position by the poly bashers ?

[miraja2]

Originally Posted by sumitas

it seems to me the poly bashers always complain that poly kills speed and favors closers, regardless of the track. are we seeing a shift away from that position by the poly bashers ?

Come on man.
Not EVERY closer in the world ALWAYS is going to benefit from EVERY synthetic surface.
SOME synthetic surfaces tend to favor SOME closers (at least more than dirt).
Street Sense seems to be a closer that does not like poly. It happens. That doesn't mean that everybody needs to change whatever their opinion is on synthetic surfaces.

[Merlinsky]

Originally Posted by miraja2

Come on man.
Not EVERY closer in the world ALWAYS is going to benefit from EVERY synthetic surface.
SOME synthetic surfaces tend to favor SOME closers (at least more than dirt).
Street Sense seems to be a closer that does not like poly. It happens. That doesn't mean that everybody needs to change whatever their opinion is on synthetic surfaces.

With all due respect and this isn't just to you, I feel it's absolute bunk to think Street Sense doesn't like poly but I hear it all over the place--I think Bloodhorse might've run something by Haskin or whoever countermanding that which was good. Go back and watch the Blue Grass and smoke over his action which I think was nice and easy. Sure looked like he liked it just fine to me. Notice where he's running--the outside. I'd say his nose loss wasn't even due to that though, it was a headbob situation but SS was most certainly pushing with greater and greater thrust toward the end of the race and we all know he's lengths better on the rail. I saw no wheel spinning and a determined forward effort that's despite the blanket mess that was the oncoming rush at the end there. Great Hunter didn't end up with the best result and SS definitely had his bobbly moments but that was traffic squirreliness, not the track. He overcame and nearly won. I'm not sure the result would've been much different on dirt with all other things being equal. It sets him up well later too. A good spot.

I'm gonna go back and watch the other race but I came out of watching the Blue Grass impressed with him doing what he did not 'wow he hates poly...totally gonna throw that out.' I'd like to hear what Carl and Calvin say about him so I can be sure my thoughts are right but I think he'll have much more trouble with his hanging habit and outside running than the track surface. Now if Hard Spun does like they did in the BG and slows the first quarter to :26 who knows. SS still closed well into that.

[tiznowthegreat]

Originally Posted by NTamm1215

I will say, first off, that I literally pay attention to Turfway twice yearly, so my comments may be way off, that's why I'd like other opinions. But, all I can recall from last year's Ky Cup and this year's Lane's End card was that speed was golden. I don't recall any winners from off the pace.

Am I completely wrong?

NT

Not completely. I follow Turfway on a weekly basis and it has been playing relatively fair. Lanes End this year on the undercard in the Rushaway Dominican ran a huge race from off the pace. Last year in the Kentucky Cup there were also quite a few from off the pace with the obvious exception of Ball Four's thievery.