Doubt They Run at SA.. UPDATE: Charles says synthetic out..

[freddymo]

Originally Posted by Honu

Its not a fraud , it works at other tracks , the freaking nimrods that installed the "drainage" system with that crap material when it was first laid down screwed it up. Either way still better than the old track and watching horses die EVERYDAY.

Did you ever consider that if they rebuilt a dirt surface are installed propper drainage, created a world class base, and maintained it correctly that it could be as safe and as well received by the industry?

[Riot]

Originally Posted by freddymo

Did you ever consider that if they rebuilt a dirt surface are installed propper drainage, created a world class base, and maintained it correctly that it could be as safe and as well received by the industry?

The above makes great sense, obviously - but track supers have had decades to do that, and it apparently never crossed anybody's mind to do so. Why not?

And ever after synthetic tracks have been around, and the above suggestion has been made - track supers of dirt tracks still don't do it. I guess they feel their tracks are fine, settle down fine after a winter and are initially groomed and gotten into shape for the first meet?

For example, New York - all the freezing and thawing and heaving the base must undergo on the outer every winter - but come spring they never pull back the cushion, check the base and correct any holes.

[Travis Stone]

Ron Charles was just on HRTV saying an announcement about the future of Santa Anita's surface will be coming very soon.

[philcski]

Originally Posted by Travis Stone

Ron Charles was just on HRTV saying an announcement about the future of Santa Anita's surface will be coming very soon.

http://www.drf.com/news/article/110190.html

You got a mention on TVG today by the way... "Is Travis Stone calling LaD quarters this meet?" "No, he's working in some capacity at Gulfstream"

[herkhorse]

Originally Posted by richard

One would think it would be more cost effective to correctly upgrade the drainage at SA than to remove the entire track and install dirt.

I would think that either way they would have to remove the track to fix the drainage.

[richard]

You may be right . I do not know the specifics of that drainage problem.

[herkhorse]

Arlington Park has a nice cross-section of their track make up on display. It was pretty cool, though I may have been the only one that ever looked at it.

[SlewsMyHero]

Originally Posted by Travis Stone

Ron Charles was just on HRTV saying an announcement about the future of Santa Anita's surface will be coming very soon.

He did say that the current surface would likely be removed at the end of the meet. Here Here!

[richard]

Didn't I read a while ago that up to 1,000 horses run and train over that surface every day ?

[TalkToTheHoof]

Does anyone know if SA would have to get permission from the CHRB to go back to dirt? If so, would that petition be public?

[Rupert Pupkin]

Originally Posted by TalkToTheHoof

Does anyone know if SA would have to get permission from the CHRB to go back to dirt? If so, would that petition be public?

From what I've heard, that won't be an issue. They will be allowed to put in dirt if they want to.

[SlewsMyHero]

Hopefully "the Bykster" will be able to get Ron Charles or Hammerle on ATR this evening to talk about it. I'll be listening to the archives later tonight.

[Riot]

Originally Posted by Rupert Pupkin

From what I've heard, that won't be an issue. They will be allowed to put in dirt if they want to.

Who is paying for this? Breeders Cup? Didn't know they had such funds available. Suit against Pro-Ride? Who are they going to sell the surface to? (training center, etc)

[Thoroughbred Fan]

If dirt track supers had a choice, they would love to have unlimited staff to make a dirt track great. Constant dragging, raking, and constant divot replacing/top dress replacing; that would correct all. No.

The correct choice is a mix of both, but not by state. The correct mix would be based on climate, not by delegate.

If they use the right judgment, synthetic can only help the northern states. Why So Cal uses it, I'll never know.

[pba1817]

Originally Posted by TalkToTheHoof

Does anyone know if SA would have to get permission from the CHRB to go back to dirt? If so, would that petition be public?

All the payoffs have been made to those who had their hands out from the CHRB people down... Even though they "mandated" synthetics 3 years ago... the CHRB won't stop SA from going to conventional dirt now.

[richard]

Originally Posted by SlewsMyHero

He did say that the current surface would likely be removed at the end of the meet. Here Here!

I can understand removing the existing surface to correct the drainage problems within the current base. One would think it would be more cost effective to correctly upgrade the drainage at SA than to remove the entire track and install dirt.

[freddymo]

Originally Posted by Riot

The above makes great sense, obviously - but track supers have had decades to do that, and it apparently never crossed anybody's mind to do so. Why not?

And ever after synthetic tracks have been around, and the above suggestion has been made - track supers of dirt tracks still don't do it. I guess they feel their tracks are fine, settle down fine after a winter and are initially groomed and gotten into shape for the first meet?

For example, New York - all the freezing and thawing and heaving the base must undergo on the outer every winter - but come spring they never pull back the cushion, check the base and correct any holes.

From what I have heard and read the NY tracks have been extremely well maintained this year?

Anyway what I am questioning is IF they spent 10 mil or whatever they spent rebuilding SA on a new dirt surface with todays technology.. It just might be much better then Pro Ride.. Again I really could care what they run on as long as its safer for the horses and riders.. I have NEVER heard from anyone that Rubber is safer then Dirt.
Look if you are Gill and you send out every laimo in the world at any level for them to race it doesnt matter if they ran on goose down they would die

[Riot]

Originally Posted by freddymo

Anyway what I am questioning is IF they spent 10 mil or whatever they spent rebuilding SA on a new dirt surface with todays technology.. It just might be much better then Pro Ride..

Well, we're gonna see for sure, when they take the Pro-Ride out and reinstall dirt with "today's technology".

I imagine the whole base and drainage system has to go. Dirt track. From scratch, ground up.

[freddymo]

Originally Posted by Riot

Well, we're gonna see for sure, when they take the Pro-Ride out and reinstall dirt with "today's technology".

I imagine the whole base and drainage system has to go. Dirt track. From scratch, ground up.

To be fair I am not sure what goes into building a safe surface.. I'm guessing that a surface that was built in 1920 isn't the way they would do it today?

[Riot]

Originally Posted by freddymo

To be fair I am not sure what goes into building a safe surface.. I'm guessing that a surface that was built in 1920 isn't the way they would do it today?

What did they just do at Gulfstream? Anybody know? Fluff up the top layers?

I do know that, aside from the surface, the turn radius, the steepness of banks (inclines), and flatness effects obviously speed, and that effects injuries (the faster they go, the more they blow apart). I know with Keeneland they changed the incline of the turns when they installed Polytrack.