Break downs and BAD TRACK MANAGEMENT

TBLADY · Postby **TBLADY** » Wed Dec 28, 2005 4:20 am

Anyone who has TVG or HRTV has seen them...breakdowns. Since many factors play out in a horses breakdown (breeding, management, proper training, nutrition, training surface) its hard to say all break downs are the result of a track or racing/training surface. HOWEVER...it seems there are some tracks who are more PRONE to break downs then others...why?

What are some of the best and worse tracks in the Country? I looked at a track here not long ago and from my YOUNGER years as a Ski Racer know that AMBER colored goggles help show depth changes in snow I took a set to the track and what I saw was Scary! (though the color shading was a bit off...I still got a good look none the less) The out rider thought I had lost my mind as I was laying down on the track almost so I could look down the the front stretch...it looked like a washboard!!! Peaks and holes and ruts and... ICK! And this was after the AM break, before one horse had set foot on the track.

Where are the better tracks?

wilf · Postby **wilf** » Wed Dec 28, 2005 5:28 am

Thats a very complex question ,almost impossible to answer.You see the factors that produce the breakdown ratio include track surface composition, the weather conditions prevalent during the meet which compromises managements ability to do the best job. A bad combination would be a cheap track which races through the winter months that is in a state that has a wide range of drugs for legal use. Beulah Park and Charles Town readily come to mind and yes they do have breakdowns but they also run a lot of races so the law of averages will catch up to them. What is surprising is the high rates that show up at tracks like Hollywood Park and Del Mar. Generally tracks like Fairgrounds and Churchill Downs have a good horse-friendly reputation amongst horsemen and I think that Thistledown in your area has a decent surface considering the weather they encounter and management work hard to have it in good order.P.S. If I had seen you lying on the track wearing amber goggles I might have called the funny farm to examine you further.

TBLADY · Postby **TBLADY** » Wed Dec 28, 2005 6:32 am

LOL WELL I DID IT! Thankfully it was the morning break and no horses were around. Just me and one of the out riders. My Husband thought I had lost it to be honest!

Sylvie Hebert · Postby **Sylvie Hebert** » Wed Dec 28, 2005 5:37 pm

as of now LA Dons surface(dirt)is absolutly horrible some sort od deep goowy slop and from the 3/8 pole all around the last turn downright dangerous....