Tapeta, say what you want, but nice fields

[SlewsMyHero]

Originally Posted by westcoastinvader

Just glancing and noting there are about 83 horses going in today's program for the Golden Gate Fields 9 race card.

Sure unlike the typical pre-Tapeta cards I remember in the Bay Area the last several years.

Tapeta pros and cons aside, the bigger fields are nice.

Westcoastinvader. This has always been my argument for the the positive affect of the synthetics, at least in California, and especially in No. California. Field sizes have improved dramatically. I am no fan of the Polytrack, but the other surfaces, Cushion, Tapeta, and what I saw of Pro Ride last season at Santa Anita, I at least find playable. Anyone that has paid attention to the No. Cal circuit the last 10 years or so knows how dismal the fields have been, especially at Bay Meadows. What are we to make of the significant increase in field sizes at Golden Gate? I believe that the Tapeta surface is the only reason for the increases. This is not to say that they would not have had the same results had they installed a new dirt track from the bottom up, but the Tapeta has certainly been well received by the horseman.