Turfway Stigma

[SentToStud]

Originally Posted by Pointg5

The place stinks-literally, the last time I was there was in December, it was really windy and that poly track was blowing all over the parking lot, Scuds described it best, it looks like the stuff that comes out of your sweeper and it smells very badly...

Honestly, can you go to any track in the Midwest in December and expect a great atmosphere, especially if there's worse than normal weather? It is what it is.... winter runners in the worst climate they run in anywhere in Dec/Jan. I suppose it gives the owners somewhere to run their nickel claimers and ultra-cheap maidens. If people want to bet on those races, then Turfway serves a purpose. The fact they run on those insulation chips won't stop people from betting.

[Pointg5]

Originally Posted by SentToStud

Honestly, can you go to any track in the Midwest in December and expect a great atmosphere, especially if there's worse than normal weather? It is what it is.... winter runners in the worst climate they run in anywhere in Dec/Jan. I suppose it gives the owners somewhere to run their nickel claimers and ultra-cheap maidens. If people want to bet on those races, then Turfway serves a purpose. The fact they run on those insulation chips won't stop people from betting.

True, but Aqueduct is further North and they have a much better meet. The Winter Meet at Turfway is bad, but the Fall Meet before Keeneland kicked off was pretty good and some nice horses would run there...

[Gander]

Aqueduct rocks. What else you going to do on a Sat or Sunday in the middle of winter. Theres nothing better than burning your paycheck and looking out at all the snow in the middle of the Aqueduct oval.

[pmayjr]

From a live racing perspective, I think you guys are right. I went to Turfway last December, the day after Keeneland's Handicapping contest. My flight was out of Cincy, so Turfway wasn't too far from the airport. Walking through it, the place looked tacky... really tacky. It was clean, but still really tacky. So in terms of watching live racing there, I bet that would be no fun.

But I love betting the place when I'm at Canterbury in the fall and winter. I'm a longshot bettor, and the best chance IMO to get those is betting really ****ty claiming races. Mountaineer, Evangeline, Turfway, Sam Houston, Chuck-town, etc etc etc. Those places are always really good for hitting bombs. So that's why I like those tracks.

One other thing- I don't think they'd tear the place down, or sell it for it's property value since they installed poly-track. Installing that surface isn't a cheap thing to do. So if they were to sell the place off, why install the new surface? I know a few years ago they had to cancel over a week's worth of racing because the track was so beat up (due to really bad wetaher conditions), but still why bother spending the extra $$$ if you're gonna sell it?

You have to keep in mind that Turfway is going to be used as a "testing" or "experimental" track for Keeneland.

And many guys will bet neither.
How do you bet a track where no established speed figures or par times can accurately be made?
Even at Woodbine already the grass horses are winning on it.
I wouldn't bet a quarter at either place on the polytrack. At keeneland only grass will get my action, and I suspect that they will card plenty of grass to insure that they don't get completely killed if handle slips.

[Scurlogue Champ]

Originally Posted by oracle80

And many guys will bet neither.
How do you bet a track where no established speed figures or par times can accurately be made?
Even at Woodbine already the grass horses are winning on it.
I wouldn't bet a quarter at either place on the polytrack. At keeneland only grass will get my action, and I suspect that they will card plenty of grass to insure that they don't get completely killed if handle slips.

Honestly, I wish we had more pure grass meets here in the States. Our excuse for one is that dismal affair at Kentucky Downs.

Why not go to that instead of the poly-track? You don't have to run 5 days a week, just run 2 days and then take a week or two off like in England.

But I know that won't ever happen.

[Scurlogue Champ]

Originally Posted by oracle80

And many guys will bet neither.
How do you bet a track where no established speed figures or par times can accurately be made?
Even at Woodbine already the grass horses are winning on it.
I wouldn't bet a quarter at either place on the polytrack. At keeneland only grass will get my action, and I suspect that they will card plenty of grass to insure that they don't get completely killed if handle slips.

I won't bet a single race at Turfway this year, just like last year.

And I haven't bet a race at Woodbine since the Atto Mile last year with Leroidesanimaux.

Only places that I put real money into when wagering is NYRA and Churchill/Keeneland. And maybe a little Australia when I see some huge value.