My Prediction for Santa Anita

[Indian Charlie]

Interesting quote from pletcher today:

“A dirt surface isn’t going to discourage us any,” Pletcher said by telephone early Thursday morning from Palm Beach Downs in Florida. “In fact, we might run more horses. We like dirt.”

[Danzig]

so much for the contention that poly is what drew more east coasters. it may have been just a track change period that drew them. what they changed to may have only been secondary.

So what does it say if the synthetic tracks are drawing bigger fields?

A. The horsemen as a whole must like it.

B. It brings out the questionable horses
because they have a chance on the stuff.

C. None of the above... and here is my reasoning...

I choose A.

[JJP]

The most overused quote from the pro carpeting crowd: "all the horses have a chance and there's no bias."

When speed never wins and a surface repeatedly favors ass-draggers, I say its biased.

[letswastemoney]

Originally Posted by JJP

The most overused quote from the pro carpeting crowd: "all the horses have a chance and there's no bias."

When speed never wins and a surface repeatedly favors ass-draggers, I say its biased.

Speed never wins??? Did you not see opening day at SA?

[Riot]

Brad Free has an interesting piece he wrote today in DRF:

Handicapping | Posted 1/10/2008, 6:55 pm

Cushion Track still the right way to go
By BRAD FREE

http://www.drf.com/drfNewsArticle.do?NID=91504 (Subscribers to DRF Plus)

[Riot]

Originally Posted by JJP

The most overused quote from the pro carpeting crowd: "all the horses have a chance and there's no bias."

When speed never wins and a surface repeatedly favors ass-draggers, I say its biased.

If you look at Arlington, Keeneland, Turfway, Golden Gate, etc, and look at the handicapping websites where they list the percentage of races won by front end, stalkers, closers, etc. during each meet, you will see that speed indeed wires quite a bit on artificial surfaces.

[The Bid]

Only 2 vanned off today at Santa Anita.

[SniperSB23]

Originally Posted by Mumtaz

If you look at Arlington, Keeneland, Turfway, Golden Gate, etc, and look at the handicapping websites where they list the percentage of races won by front end, stalkers, closers, etc. during each meet, you will see that speed indeed wires quite a bit on artificial surfaces.

The big difference is being able to put down that surface and being forced to by the CHRB. I'm pretty sure for $11 million you could put down a crazy safe dirt surface like Saratoga had this year. Actually you could have done that with 10 million to spare.