now nyra is thinking about it
 

here is another one this art. on yahoo just an hour ago.


http://sports.yahoo.com/rah/news?slu...v=ap&type=lgns

There's quite a leap between having a discussion about synthetic surfaces and putting them in.

We know it's time for a collective deep breath when we start getting our horse racing information from an AP story on Yahoo.

Some of us can't cope with the new graphics of the NYCOTB feed. (Could they make the font for the odds and exotic prices just a LITTLE BIT LARGER. I mean, we don't need the video feed, do we?)

I imagine a change to POLY would have many of the locals visiting one of the many bridges in the area.

Cushion track at Saratoga, I just threw up in my mouth a bit.

That is the NYRA feed, not OTB. I hate it.

The fact that Dutrow hates it pretty much seals the deal. The only question now is poly, cushion or ???

what a disaster. . .

Spoke with the NYRA TV consultant on Monday. He explained that the "new improved" graphics are not planned to be changed for each meet. Branding will change only. I voiced my technical opinions, which were asked for, and he will take them into consideration. It's a learning process.

However, new TV facilities (trailer trucks) have replaced old with state of the art equipment. New cameras, different views, graphic generators etc.
When additional system is complete (probably for Saratoga) NYRA will broadcast an HD signal.

Good news if TVG or HRTV ever gets HD

HD is probably a couple years away.

What....that someone quoted a story that misrepresented the facts?

This whole witch hunt. . . Racing fans always complain that we don't get enough attention and now that we are virtually every word of every article is bogus and misinformed. . .

Can't say I particularly disagree.

so nyra is not going to change its surface.

Something has to be done about the Aqueduct main track, but I would rather they fix the current dirt surface so it can handle a decent amount of rain.

just read spitzers hooker named ms albany.. things are looking up

I don't think status quo is gonna cut it. NY needs a dramatic move forward in horse racing and the time is now. An industry leader opportunity is here.

To expand. Intuitvely speaking. The industry in the USA is suffering. Therefore an opportunity exists to capture a large portion of capital looking to invest in the sport. Massive investment is needed in NY to solidify a position of leadership in this sport now. The competition is weak and now is the time for NY to move comprehensively forward, imo.

I think it's pretty obvious on here that most New Yorkers don't like the synthetics.They are indeed a safer surface(despite the crap you will read from nuts that make as much sense as Turks denying the Armenian Genocide.) Of course,if trainers think they can get away with running horses that have bad problems,then the stats may not show them to be safer.I don't think the majority of New Yorkers care about safer surfaces though,and they have enough horses so that they don't need to switch (to be able to have their horses get back to racing quicker.) Doesn't seem to be a lack of New York breds.They seem to be a pretty hearty bunch.Just keep telling everyone that break-downs are all random,and people are stupid enough they will keep believing it.Repeat a lie enough,and people are stupid enough they will believe you. Doesn't matter how hard that track was Saturday,it's random right?I wonder just how many are gunna come out of that day's races with little random problems.How many lil chips are going to randomly appear? When you hear about this or that injury to Big Brown,just remember that hard fast track Saturday.The chances of that horse running in the Preakness and Belmont without coming up with an injury .......are not good.Smarty,Alex,Giacomo etc. etc. All random injuries,right?

Well, I don't consider myself a nut. While synthetics may prove to be "safer", whatever that even really means, the jury is definitely still out for me. It has already been shown that Arlington Park breakdowns are on par with the previous dirt track. If racetracks invested the same money used to install synthetics to instead repair dirt tracks, I doubt you would see a difference.

It is nice you break out the convenient "trainers are running unfit horses" to explain synthetic breakdowns. We all know that never happens on dirt. Thanks for the post Mr. Dickinson.

Try a paragraph break and maybe a space or two after punctuation. ;)

Relax..
 

This entire thing was a non-starter. If anyone read the article in the Sschnectady Gazette, it was obvious that John Lee only mentioned that surface issues would be one of the topics at the July Task Force on Retired Race Horses meeting... The thing sniowballed from there with the AP article.

T-U with further explanation...

Synthetic track not goal for Saratoga
NYRA studying the issue but says nothing is in the works

http://timesunion.com:80/AspStories/...sdate=5/8/2008