Zayat is Leaving; Baffert hates it

[King Glorious]

Originally Posted by rgustafson

King, don't think you are being realistic about this. They have raced over the surface for just two weeks(12 days) and now because a couple of guys complain about it your supposed to start dicking around with the track and see how it responds? This, to me, seems just as irresponsible.

It's not just a couple of guys complaining. Believe that. KY Sasquatch just hit it on the head. Baffert is not complaining because he's not winning. He didn't complain at Hollywood either and most important, both he and Zayat say that they LIKE the track at Del Mar. They both say that in the mornings, the track is fine but that it's how it changes in the afternoons that is the concern. They are complaining more about the consistency of the track, not how fast or slow it is.

[ArlJim78]

whatever the track variation is morning to afternoon, tight or loose, someone is winning those races other than Baffert, and they are dealing with the same circumstances as Baffert and are doing so with less "brilliant" horses than he has. how do they do it?

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by ArlJim78

whatever the track variation is morning to afternoon, tight or loose, someone is winning those races other than Baffert, and they are dealing with the same circumstances as Baffert and are doing so with less "brilliant" horses than he has. how do they do it?

well...yeah, that's true. and an excellent point.

Originally Posted by Danzig

well...yeah, that's true. and an excellent point.

I think the complainers' argument is that the track--in the afternoon--isn't conducive to having the "fastest" horse win. Of course you can say that the horse that reaches the wire first IS the "fastest," but a very tiring surface may well take more out of a horse that runs hard early. I was very much in favor of synthetic surfaces when it just appeared that tracks either couldn't, or wouldn't, make dirt surfaces safe. But nobody realized that at least some synthetic surfaces seem to be drastically changing "the game." The developers didn't market them by saying "They're safer, and by the way they're so deep and tiring that many of your most popular and expensive breeding lines will be worthless on them." And as for saying "Well, they shouldn't have bought those horses," I don't think anyone could have predicted how Poly was going to play at Del Mar. Apparently it CAN provide a surface which plays more like dirt--so why not do it, at least for now?

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by Diver52

I think the complainers' argument is that the track--in the afternoon--isn't conducive to having the "fastest" horse win. Of course you can say that the horse that reaches the wire first IS the "fastest," but a very tiring surface may well take more out of a horse that runs hard early. I was very much in favor of synthetic surfaces when it just appeared that tracks either couldn't, or wouldn't, make dirt surfaces safe. But nobody realized that at least some synthetic surfaces seem to be drastically changing "the game." The developers didn't market them by saying "They're safer, and by the way they're so deep and tiring that many of your most popular and expensive breeding lines will be worthless on them." And as for saying "Well, they shouldn't have bought those horses," I don't think anyone could have predicted how Poly was going to play at Del Mar. Apparently it CAN provide a surface which plays more like dirt--so why not do it, at least for now?

there was another track early this year that they said speed was doomed--right before a 3 yo won gate to wire in a derby prep.

it would be nice if the tracks exhibited no bias, regardless of style of running-and may the best horse win.

as for poly, i've been leery of the change (to put it mildly) and also feel that a good dirt surface would be the way to go...but times are changing.

but if zayat is the only one complaining-and thus far it seems he is--well, he's leaving so that's that. i think the track super handled the disagreement poorly, but as for changing the track due to one owner-that's another story.

del mar is still so early in the going, patience is called for-give every one a little time to figure it out. i think zayat may have jumped the gun, altho no doubt he felt he had a tremendous reason to be upset. you can't please everyone, that remains true!

[Hawk]

Originally Posted by King Glorious

It's not just a couple of guys complaining. Believe that. KY Sasquatch just hit it on the head. Baffert is not complaining because he's not winning. He didn't complain at Hollywood either and most important, both he and Zayat say that they LIKE the track at Del Mar. They both say that in the mornings, the track is fine but that it's how it changes in the afternoons that is the concern. They are complaining more about the consistency of the track, not how fast or slow it is.

Many tracks run differently in the AM than in the afternoon. Even with the dirt here @ DMR it ran differently. So what? Is it time to freak out and change the course for Zayat? Doubtful.

[Riot]

It's not just a couple of guys complaining. Believe that.

Who are they? TenPtMoveup said he talked to a person who worked horses for John Sherrifs.