Turfway Cancel

[The Bid]

I wonder what the excuse will be after already starting the card

[ArlJim78]

Its something like 17 degrees! They tried to run but can you really blame them for canceling with such temperatures?

[The Bid]

Track is frozen Jim, thought it doesnt freeze

[ArlJim78]

Originally Posted by The Bid

Track is frozen Jim, thought it doesnt freeze

What if it is? Who said it wouldn't freeze? Who needs to race when its 17 degrees?

Why can't you let go of this issue? Every time there is a breakdown or a cancellation it's a race to the board to start a thread saying "see, see, they said no more breakdowns, they said no more cancellations".

Even if someone somewhere sometime made those claims, so what? That ship has sailed. What do you suggest, that they rip up the surface and go back to dirt which would cause even more cancellations and breakdowns.

Please give your solution to the problem that you keep alluding to.

[JJP]

Cmon Jim-

You're a Chicago guy. Would Hawthorne ever cancel if it was 17 degrees? No way. Anytime its above zero they'll run. Sounds like a surface problem to me.

[ArlJim78]

From the Turfway website;

Welcome to Turfway Park

Sunday racing canceled
Citing temperatures pushed below zero by wind chill, Turfway Park canceled Sunday's live racing card after the second of nine scheduled races. The track remains open for simulcasting.

When Aqueduct and other east coast tracks cancel citing the temperature, that's ok. But when Turfway cancels due to temperature its just a cover story and the real reason is because the polytrack isn't everything it was supposed to be.

[The Bid]

I suggest they quit lying about the surface and fix the problem. Add more top to it, do something. If this winter would have been any kind of winter there would be some major problems.

Who needs to race when its 17 degrees? Ask a guy like Mike Maker who shipped 3 up to run.

Jim, I dont like Polytrack, I like traditional racing on a standard dirt track. The purpose of Polytrack at TWP was a safer surface, we just got over the most catastrophic month of racing at TWP, you dont see that reported do you? They had more breakdowns this December than any other December on record.

[The Bid]

Jim

I remember night racing at TWP when you would be lucky if you could catch your breath it was so cold. They absolutely ran in colder night time temps with the old dirt track. The jocks were complaining about the track yesterday, Im sure its not just the cold weather. The track is uneven, and frozen, you think TWP is going to say that on the website?

Yeah...The track we payed millions for is unsafe, frozen, and the jocks wont ride. Please.

[ArlJim78]

Originally Posted by JJP

Cmon Jim-

You're a Chicago guy. Would Hawthorne ever cancel if it was 17 degrees? No way. Anytime its above zero they'll run. Sounds like a surface problem to me.

I take it you were joking. There are frequent Hawthorne cancellations for weather. Cold, snow, ice, wind. They canceled two days in a row in early December.

[ArlJim78]

Originally Posted by The Bid

Jim

I remember night racing at TWP when you would be lucky if you could catch your breath it was so cold. They absolutely ran in colder night time temps with the old dirt track. The jocks were complaining about the track yesterday, Im sure its not just the cold weather. The track is uneven, and frozen, you think TWP is going to say that on the website?

Yeah...The track we payed millions for is unsafe, frozen, and the jocks wont ride. Please.

Yeah I remember how with the old track they closed for like 2-3 consecutive weeks a few years ago. Cancellations were legendary with the dirt at TP.
There will be days where it is not going to be easy or safe to race in the winter in the midwest regardless of the surface, there will be problems.

You payed for the track? really?

So its back to dirt you say because its safer based on one bad month. distortion.

So its back to dirt that doesn't freeze and never requires a cancellation? more distortion.

Jocks wont ride? well who are those guys on the horses every day at TP?

You don't like the surface, that's fine. But you continually focus only on Turfway when cancellations, and breakdowns occured in greater measure in the past at TP, and at other tracks.

[The Bid]

That yeah we paid millions was a mythical turfway response, read the entire post.

Jim, It wasnt a bad month, it was the worst December ever. The jocks wouldnt ride the card today and truth be told they have been bitching about the track for a while now. The kickback, its uneven, now its freezing. Listen the track was supposed to have NO UPKEEP, theyve tore the top off, tried to level it, all while telling the general public its great. Seriously, is this surface as advertised? I dont think so, not even close.

[smartyalex]

Having grown up in Arkansas and now living in Louisville, I can say that with the wind chill this is honestly the coldest day I have ever experienced!

[todko]

Racing needs to hire a firm with a background in materials engineering/science to develop artificial tracks. DuPont might be one to start looking at.

Poly, Cushion, you name it came from people like Michael Dickinson and Martin Collins. Granted they may be horsemen -- but they are not engineers and scientists. The input of horsemen is vital -- but let the engineers and scientists formulate, develop, and test the product.

Poly may indeed work well for walks, gallops, and even training tracks. For racing it is certainly having serious problems.

[ManilaRose]

Was it not 17 degrees when the first 2 races were run? It's not like it's never been that temperature at Turfway before. If it was to cold after the 2nd it was to cold before the 1st. This does sound a bit fishy.

i'm 150 miles west and the wind is cuttin ass. The jet stream goes right through the cincy area so it's probably at least 5 degrees cooler. No way i'd ride a horse in these conditions.

[todko]

Originally Posted by ManilaRose

Was it not 17 degrees when the first 2 races were run? It's not like it's never been that temperature at Turfway before. If it was to cold after the 2nd it was to cold before the 1st. This does sound a bit fishy.

They are having a very hard time controlling it. The staff at TP said so in not so many words.

Tough for the 'capper too as they keep jacking with the track (the same track that was supposed to be non-maintenance). Looks like they are adding sand at times. The staff said they can adjust the wax ratio too. The running times can vary tremendously from day to day.

The clumps of poly can fly a long way and they hit with quite an impact. I've seen horses recoil and climb when pounded in the nose with that stuff. And I've seen jockeys visibly shaken when they get hit with it. It's a mess.

[The Bid]

Booey, I sold off almost all I had to make good on that debt and still cant do it.

Ill be at Turfway Park on the 10th, ask Wolfgang to direct you to me. I will take care of you.

[JJP]

Originally Posted by ArlJim78

I take it you were joking. There are frequent Hawthorne cancellations for weather. Cold, snow, ice, wind. They canceled two days in a row in early December.

The only time Hawthorne cancels is due to unsafe track conditions. Not because of cold or snow.

[The Bid]

Im kidding Booey. I may be able to scrape together a hundred between now and the 10th. See you then

[ArlJim78]

Originally Posted by JJP

The only time Hawthorne cancels is due to unsafe track conditions. Not because of cold or snow.

Cold no, but it wouldn't get cold enough in December to close for cold.
They do close for snow now and again.

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