tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6037940159956945489.post7355016327868202080..comments2023-10-12T11:54:04.700-04:00Comments on Power Cap: Polytrack Is Horseracing's Version Of The Toyota PriusG. C.http://www.blogger.com/profile/07604839670701867384noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6037940159956945489.post-29740500975155414562009-10-31T13:25:56.304-04:002009-10-31T13:25:56.304-04:00"This leaves racing with only one core custom..."This leaves racing with only one core customer, the un-morale degenerate."<br /><br />I'm deeply offended by that statement. I'm a horseplayer and I'm a morale degenerate.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00266842922728849875noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6037940159956945489.post-16605346658042687342009-10-29T10:56:51.171-04:002009-10-29T10:56:51.171-04:00Good read! You might be right on morality, and I&#...Good read! You might be right on morality, and I'd give it deeper thought if I were not off to Wal-Mart to buy a new flat screen TV, a carton of cigars and a bushel of condoms.<br /><br />Soooo, if the composition of the track was not causing the break-downs what are we left with?<br /><br />My three hunches:<br /><br />1. Drugs that are masking injuries and infirmities and masking other drugs that mask injuries and infirmities. Try getting rid of race-day medication as they have done in every other civilized nation with racing.<br /><br />2. Not warming up the athletes sufficiently. Again, here is a difference with nations with much lower break-down rates. They gallop out runners sans ponies prior to loading.<br /><br />3. Training methods. Am I imagining it or have break-downs increased since we imported so many techniques from the quarter-horse world? Are short drills good for thoroughbreds or were equine athletes better off in days of yore with long slow works?<br /><br />Not up to Aristotle's speed admittedly, but I would argue that all three fit a less modern 'morality.'Graeme Beatonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6037940159956945489.post-62825384599463579882009-10-29T10:46:11.078-04:002009-10-29T10:46:11.078-04:00We've had synthetic tracks in the UK for 20 ye...We've had synthetic tracks in the UK for 20 years - in fact tomorrow is the 20th anniversary of the first "all-weather", as we call it, meeting.<br />I therefore would suggest that the problem is not the track, but the way the horses are trained and raced.<br /><br />The elephant in the room here is drugs, more particularly steroids. Until American racing comes up with nationwide rules and penalties you might as well stick your finger in the dam and hope for the best.<br /><br />pNewmarket, UKAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6037940159956945489.post-7993860980150307952009-10-29T02:41:11.914-04:002009-10-29T02:41:11.914-04:00Synthetic surfaces have much in common with the Pr...Synthetic surfaces have much in common with the Prius. Both are imported, both are marketed as being kind to organic beings, both contain a plethora of chemicals that have an unknown destination at the end of their useful life, both mitigate the negative effects associated with their purpose and both will be severely underrepresented at Aqueduct this winter.G. C.https://www.blogger.com/profile/07604839670701867384noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6037940159956945489.post-69277584166510018492009-10-29T01:04:54.173-04:002009-10-29T01:04:54.173-04:00Power Cap(tain), my captain,
I agree that the Pol...Power Cap(tain), my captain,<br /><br />I agree that the Polytrack and other synthetic main tracks are racing's Prius.<br /><br />The Prius won't save the world because there are too many people who want to drive fast and for long periods of time while sitting in comfort. That's not the mindset of a Prius owner. Changing a product in the car industry only makes the company a curiosity while giving the rest of the car offerings within a successful company (like Toyota) visibility to many different people. <br /><br />Synthetics won't save racing for the same reasons. The real issue lies with owners, trainers, and jockeys. Those that like the synthetics will train horses on them the way turf horses train on grass. California has proven that the fast works and intense race situations on synthetics cause a horse to break down tissue...first soft tissue tears (tendons and ligaments), then comes bone disruption.<br /><br />Horse racing changed the variable that was easiest to manipulate. The real answer to saving the horses will be to change the way horses are bred, trained, and ridden. <br /><br />That means changing behavior of adults and possibly affecting their bottom lines in the short term. Convince them that doing right by the horses will be the best way to sustain their stock for auctions, racing, and enhance the long-term viability of the game. FAT CHANCE!Amateurcapperhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00152403396698908900noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6037940159956945489.post-21149039502471948882009-10-28T20:58:20.314-04:002009-10-28T20:58:20.314-04:00Wow.
I went to a blog and got a lesson in anthrop...Wow. <br />I went to a blog and got a lesson in anthropology 101. ;-)<br /><br />A new type of "soft-tissue" injury has emerged as well but less discussed is the the loss of traditional main track racing. <br /><br />How well would western stars like Zenyatta, Stardom Bound, Evita Argentina, Street Boss, et. al do on the eastern surfaces? <br /> <br />The world may never know.<br />Parochialism will not allow it.The_Knight_Skyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13497100877439699363noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6037940159956945489.post-90789845998645673412009-10-28T11:50:21.231-04:002009-10-28T11:50:21.231-04:00I'd say the Prius is rare since we Prius owner...I'd say the Prius is rare since we Prius owners tend to take public transit to the track.Superfectahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13160193760814449962noreply@blogger.com