Del Mar surface question cancels a.m. training

[Alan07]

Surface issue prompts Del Mar to cancel training
By Steve Andersen

http://www.drf.com/news/article/114995.html

DEL MAR, Calif. - Del Mar cancelled training on its Polytrack synthetic surface on Thursday morning after overnight maintenance created inconsistencies in the surface through the stretch, according to racing secretary Tom Robbins. Robbins described the problem as a "separation" of the sand and fiber that is part of the Polytrack material. "There were uneven spots, especially in the stretch," Robbins said.

The main track was closed Thursday shortly after training began before dawn. By mid-morning, track maintenance crews, directed by track superintendent Richard Tedesco, were remixing the surface in advance of racing on Thursday. "It's a thorough mixing of the material," Robbins said.

Training was reduced to horses being jogged in a one-furlong area in a backstretch chute and limited activity on a small training track adjacent to the main track. Robbins said Thursday morning that the track was expected to be fine for racing that afternoon.

What the polytrack bunch did to DMTC is no different than what carpetbaggers did to rubes.

[the_fat_man]

This never stopped CNL, for example, from running. No complaints from the board about the conditions there last Saturday? I wonder why.

[smuthg]

I liked Brad Free's comment on this situation:

"By the way, the Del Mar main track was closed for training Thursday morning for repair. Real swell stuff, this Polytrack. California someday might return to conventional dirt. One can only hope."

[the_fat_man]

And then all the whining POLY bashing LOSERS would suddenly become WINNERS again.

[Indian Charlie]

Does anyone else here hear a high pitched buzzing noise?

[Antitrust32]

what a surprise!!!


And to think, back in 2005 I actually liked the stuff.

I was thinking.. wow! This stuff will save tracks hundreds of thousands in maintenance fee's, reduce breakdowns, reduce kickback, increase field size & prevent wet racing surfaces!! I thought it was the greatest thing since sliced bread (way too good to be true).

I even wrote my hypothetical business proposal in my technical writing class as Martin Collins LLC, trying to sell Polytrack to Santa Anita because of their high breakdown rates. In fact, I used Polytrack as a basis in a few different projects.

What a shame... and a sham.

[Honu]

Originally Posted by Antitrust32

what a surprise!!!


And to think, back in 2005 I actually liked the stuff.

I was thinking.. wow! This stuff will save tracks hundreds of thousands in maintenance fee's, reduce breakdowns, reduce kickback, increase field size & prevent wet racing surfaces!! I thought it was the greatest thing since sliced bread (way too good to be true).

I even wrote my hypothetical business proposal in my technical writing class as Martin Collins LLC, trying to sell Polytrack to Santa Anita because of their high breakdown rates. In fact, I used Polytrack as a basis in a few different projects.

What a shame... and a sham.

Polytrack and synthetic tracks as they are made now are not designed to stand up to the amount of traffic that American racing demands of them. In the future I think they could be made that way but there are so many people who arent directly involved with racing and training of horses that get to be very vocal and very loud about their dissapproval that it is most likely that they will never get a fair try.

[richard]

We do know that if they are proplerly installed they are the best in rain of any surface . I believe the surface was really developed for a wet climate, initially .