CushionTrack: "We'll fix or replace SA surface"

[Rupert Pupkin]

Originally Posted by Cardus

How did the Cushion Track installer and Magna not consider SoCal's January and February typical rainfall when figuring the synthetic composition?

This is mind boggling.

They did consider it. The Cusion Track at Hollywood Park drains beautifully. It can rain an inch and you can't even tell that it rained. The track looks perfect. They put in a very similar drainage system at Santa Anita. The problem is that they used a slightly different type of composition for the surface and that is what has caused the problems. They used a different type of sand and some of the other ingredients were slightly different.

They obviously did not do proper testing or they would have realized that the composition they planned to install does not drain properly.

[Riot]

They obviously did not do proper testing or they would have realized that the composition they planned to install does not drain properly

Thus it amazes me that the manufacturer didn't install a furlong of it, water the hell out of it, and see what happened (as Keeneland did during their installation of Polytrack).

[Riot]

If gamblers were gone, there would still be horse racing. It would just be markedly privatized back into a hobby of the wealthy. Associations of wealthy owners would own a few tracks, they would still breed, sell and race (albeit on a much smaller scale). Employed trainers would be those few working for private farms and private racing stables, rather than public. Purses would be funded by entry fees and subscription from patrons.

If slots were still allowed, however, we might still have Mountaineer running year-round.

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by Cardus

Thanks for answering.

Obviously, I don't live in SoCal, but I know that I've seen -- everyone who follows racing has seen -- mudslide proportion rainfall in January and February, as opposed to November, when Hollywood runs.

Good luck with your stable.

they were originally trying to find a way to deal with the 110 degree heat, not a drainage problem...then the finer sand that they went with to try to deal with the heat created the drainage issue. so now they're back to square one, they created a problem by trying to eliminate a different problem. once the drainage is taken care of, will they have a proper mix to deal with the heat they will encounter?

[my miss storm cat]

I really have nothing to add here but i thought I'd post this anyway.

Not defending Idiot Proof.... I like him although he wasn't my pick for this race.

For the sake of fairness, and since this race was discussed, this is from SA barn notes.....

http://www.santaanita.com/news/sn.ph...january3rd2008


Idiot Proof was not himself after finishing third as the 3-5 favorite in Tuesday’s El Conejo Handicap. “He was sick that night,” trainer Cliff Sise Jr. said Thursday morning. “After he cooled out, he laid down in his stall for like a half an hour, which he’s never done. He wouldn’t touch his feed and his temperature was 1:01.4, so I had a vet come and treat him. The horse was a little gassy, but a few hours later, he was OK and he acted good yesterday morning, but something upset his stomach the day of the race. He just wasn’t right.” .