Status of Hollywood Park?

[Honu]

Funny that nothing can be said of a day but to criticize a race caller.....Awesome!!!! Personel jealousy supercedes Doug O'Neil calling Ray Paulick in the middle of the night to revel in the fact that Kristin Mullhall had a horse pull up lame or that the track at S.A isnt done yet and they are inviting horses to train on it Dec. 7th. As for HP, really who cares, the cushion track has lost all cushion and is breaking horses down like the old track. Its a powder sand surface with rubber chunks in it and does not act at all like a "Cushion". The good note is that speed holds for the gamblers.

[Indian Charlie]

Originally Posted by Honu

Funny that nothing can be said of a day but to criticize a race caller.....Awesome!!!! Personel jealousy supercedes Doug O'Neil calling Ray Paulick in the middle of the night to revel in the fact that Kristin Mullhall had a horse pull up lame or that the track at S.A isnt done yet and they are inviting horses to train on it Dec. 7th. As for HP, really who cares, the cushion track has lost all cushion and is breaking horses down like the old track. Its a powder sand surface with rubber chunks in it and does not act at all like a "Cushion". The good note is that speed holds for the gamblers.

So, I guess synthetics weren't the answer then for horses getting hurt.

[Honu]

Originally Posted by Indian Charlie

So, I guess synthetics weren't the answer then for horses getting hurt.

Esp. when they dont function like a synthetic surface anymore.

[freddymo]

Originally Posted by Honu

Funny that nothing can be said of a day but to criticize a race caller.....Awesome!!!! Personel jealousy supercedes Doug O'Neil calling Ray Paulick in the middle of the night to revel in the fact that Kristin Mullhall had a horse pull up lame or that the track at S.A isnt done yet and they are inviting horses to train on it Dec. 7th. As for HP, really who cares, the cushion track has lost all cushion and is breaking horses down like the old track. Its a powder sand surface with rubber chunks in it and does not act at all like a "Cushion". The good note is that speed holds for the gamblers.

I understand your heart is in the right place and you care deeply for the animals that run to thrill us. What track is safe? What surface in your opinion should horses run on? Every single trainer I have ever spoken to suggests that syn/rubber surfaces are no safer then dirt.. Every single one has said that the soft tissue injuries are at least as harmful as dirt. I see horses falling cornering on turf, I have seen horses take bad steps in paddocks while bearly in a cantor, I have seen them break legs kicking the friggin PADDED stall, or crack there heads trying to get at something. Frankly, the game is what it is BRUTAL. Horses run hurt, they run medicated not to hurt, they run and get cups of dirt down there throat etc. It isn't a pretty sport and someone with your vast experience should know as such and have moved past it while always understanding to maintain a certain level of responsiblity to the horse.

I very much was in favor of Rubber tracks. I believed what was said about how much safer it was. i believed if the horses wherent hurt they would race more, fields would be fuller with healthier horses.It was all a lie and that is the crux of the issue NOT that gamblers like speed.. Gamblers like to gamble.

if Poly or Tapeta, cushion, pro ride or any other these marketing miracles would have proven themselves dont you think people would be lining up to applaud ANY of them? They failed to provide a safer surface for racing.They failed to require less maintenance and lastly they failed to enhance horse health..

The rubber surfaces are best suited as an alternate surface for training in very cold places.. Perhaps NYRA will install rubber on the Belmont training track so that when it is 0 degrees on a Feb morning horses can still work on a surface that isnt frozen.

[Indian Charlie]

Originally Posted by freddymo

I understand your heart is in the right place and you care deeply for the animals that run to thrill us. What track is safe? What surface in your opinion should horses run on? Every single trainer I have ever spoken to suggests that syn/rubber surfaces are no safer then dirt.. Every single one has said that the soft tissue injuries are at least as harmful as dirt. I see horses falling cornering on turf, I have seen horses take bad steps in paddocks while bearly in a cantor, I have seen them break legs kicking the friggin PADDED stall, or crack there heads trying to get at something. Frankly, the game is what it is BRUTAL. Horses run hurt, they run medicated not to hurt, they run and get cups of dirt down there throat etc. It isn't a pretty sport and someone with your vast experience should know as such and have moved past it while always understanding to maintain a certain level of responsiblity to the horse.

I very much was in favor of Rubber tracks. I believed what was said about how much safer it was. i believed if the horses wherent hurt they would race more, fields would be fuller with healthier horses.It was all a lie and that is the crux of the issue NOT that gamblers like speed.. Gamblers like to gamble.

if Poly or Tapeta, cushion, pro ride or any other these marketing miracles would have proven themselves dont you think people would be lining up to applaud ANY of them? They failed to provide a safer surface for racing.They failed to require less maintenance and lastly they failed to enhance horse health..

The rubber surfaces are best suited as an alternate surface for training in very cold places.. Perhaps NYRA will install rubber on the Belmont training track so that when it is 0 degrees on a Feb morning horses can still work on a surface that isnt frozen.

Freddy, that is easily the best, and most coherent post I've ever read from you.

Well said!

[fpsoxfan]

Although I don't bet Hollywood as much as the east coast tracks, I also appreciate Vic's calls. More importantly, I appreciate the people who post on here that are involved in some way shape or form in the industry. So whether its Andy, Chuck, Steve, Vic, etc. offering their insights into the game it certainly adds more appeal to this forum. Furthermore it's fine to disagree with them, but to treat any of them with disrespect is uncalled for.