KNS at Turfway 10-2-08

[Benny Leger]

Originally Posted by jwkniska

TP and AP have totally different mixtures of polytrack. They had to switch Turfway's due to the wax balling up in colder weather. The balls of it were sticking to the hooves and shoes and making it like a skating rink.
Turfway and Woodbine have the same mix (so form holds between those two). Arlington's is the same mix as Keeneland and Del Mar, so form on those surfaces translate too. Going from TP or WB to one of the other 3's a crapshoot, as form normally doesn't translate, due to it being a different surface (even though both are types of polytrack).

Exactly Right. With their longest continuous meet running from late Nov. thru early april the weather is very erratic. During the period mid-December to early March the mixture must be able to handle sub-freezing temps without clumping because it will be 50 deg. and sunny one day and 25 deg. and snowy the next. With Day racing on the weekends, with the sun warming the track, and nite racing during week it's tough to get a handle on this surface.

[Riot]

Keeneland gives extremely detailed information about their track maintenance daily on their on-track tote boards (I don't know if it's available on their site) - when gallopmaster was used, depth of harrowing, watering (how long), and 3:00pm polytrack temperature measured at 4 inches depth. That, along with having some good info on every race ever run on Poly on their site. For the valued handicapper, they say.

I've spent the last two days at Keeneland, there's plenty of money to be had.