Why... (Delaware Park)?
 

Guys, this has been on my mind all summer, but I never seem to remember to post this when I log into this site.

Why doe Delaware Park have so many scratches? It seems like even when conditions are fast and firm, they still have a bunch?

what, you don't like a competitive 3 horse field?

I think it's b/c they draw entries pretty early as aposed to most circuits like NY who draw like 2 day advances i believe

-bt-

Not sure that they have a disproportionate number of scratches, but they do have such short fields to start with that the scratches are certainly more noticable.

Maybe I just catch it on the right days (usually either Sat or Sun every week), but there's a lot of times when there's 10-12 entries, the track will be listed as fast and firm, and there will be 4 or 5 scratches. Yeah they do have short fields as it is, but even when they have more than that there's issues.

As BT wrote, they put up their entries days in advance, and many trainers cross-enter horses in other races, this is one of the reasons for the scratches. I haven't followed Del that closely this meet, but my perception is that it's a speed highway similar to AQ Inner and Monmouth, for me it's unplayable.

The only way trainers can get out of races they've cross entered at Delpark is with the permission of the racing secretary. Otherwise, it's a couple days (5-10) penalty for scratching. So, blame that one on the racing sec, imo. Of course, stakes races don't apply.

I think it has more to do with the missing mid-level claimers. You rarely see them in MD the rest of the year so not many transfer up to Delpark when MD closes. Then you have the games that are played by the MJC holding MD trainers to task for running out of state - and since the Del meet starts in Apr while MD still has essentially 2 months to run, doesn't help fill the fields. Philly Park horses just seem a notch below Delpark and MD horses so once Apr and May are over, they don't help fill the fields.

Then another part of it is the poor condition of Del's turf course, and the fact that they run cheap turf races at Colonial. Bad trainers with bad horses that have run poorly on dirt salivate at Colonial's opening. That way, they have some hope that maybe trying the turf will help the horse run through their bad training job. When that doesn't work, they go back to running in bad races in MD come Aug.

as i type this message their is going to be a match race at Delaware Park. A field of 6 got 4 scratches and now there are 2 horses left, instead of canceling the race I'm watching 2 horses circle in the paddock.

In case your wondering the #1 is the overwhelming favorite @ 1-5 vs. the other horse at 1-1

this is pretty low

-bt-

They're OFF!!!!!!

That was a good race for two horses!!

agree they were attached at the hip the whole race until the last 50 yards

-bt-

Racing cancelled tommorow

Six years ago they would have cancelled that race and moved on to the next one. Or, at least that's what they did to me.

Shipped a horse from MD to run there. 8 entered, two scratched before the deadline leaving a field of 6. I arrived just before 1st post to get licensed and found out they'd scratched down to 3. I was happy because I knew I was getting a check!!

Got licensed, snuggled up to the bar for drink and sandwich only to see the scratch scroll on the tv say "6th race has been cancelled". They ran the 5th, they ran the 7th, but cancelled the 6th, my race. Never seen it before, never seen it since.

The temp has certainly been higher but the humidity is beyond oppressive here the last couple days outside Delaware Park. Canceling the racing here today was smart and protective of the horses. I work a couple nights a week about 200 yards from the place and we are setting institutional records treating for heat stroke and the like the last 48 hours. It is true the place is so bad with scratches that it has lost significant respect in the racing community but the good days are still very good. The quality of the racing is uneven during the week but weekends are still very solid.

People make fun of the figures that are quoted from the place and many are quick to discount a number because the "Delaware bias" is present but like many tracks home cooking rules!!!

You can make money here you just have to be very very patient...

Doc,

Good post, but is there a definitive reason why there are so many scratches?

I think because so many trainers in the mid atlantic region train at off track sites like Fair Hill that they can scratch without much recourse from the tracks. Meaning that if you are stabled at the track (ie. track gives you stalls) you are more obligated to run for fear of losing stall space at the next meet. If you are not on track that is not a consideration.