NYRA needs to change their ways.

[S0BRiquet]

Just heard from Frank M. at the track = the Troy and Sar. Derby are being cxld and the Lure stakes is going on the dirt.
Will someone please tell me why NYRA is constantly doing this (esp @ Sar)? The only thing I ever hear is "Safety for our horses" but Ireland and UK they run in virtual swamps and don't seem to have these supposed catastrophic outcomes. Is this just political correctness by NYRA?...nothing else makes sense. They are not alone btw. In USA, this goes on far too frequently. There are still horse spills on sunny days as well - not sure if they've noticed. Nothing worse than spending an entire Friday night capping for 'toga only to have turf races whittled down to 5 horses on the main track that is usually rated "FAST" by the time racing begins.

[JBEX]

I guess they had heavy thunderstorms and the track is beyond soft..understand they run on it in europe but horses there are accustomed to it and maybe the bloodlines here wouldn't do well on that type of surface
..I was looking forward to the sar derby also but I'd rather it go in better conditions if it's actually worse than soft

[S0BRiquet]

I have read a couple articles in last year or 2 claiming that there is no real difference off tracks vs fast/firm. Over the last few decades, i have never heard anyone come up with a SOLID argument for the huge amount of times where turf races are scratched due to rainy conditions. I checked out Sar wx last night and it did not look like anything out of ordinary but I'm not living up there. If I have a pet-peeve in sports this is The One! ! I just don't get it esp in light of fact that they can move rails out a little to avoid part of track that is most torn up.
Thx for reply Good luck today...already looking fwd to DelMar.

[str]

I have read a couple articles in last year or 2 claiming that there is no real difference off tracks vs fast/firm. Over the last few decades, i have never heard anyone come up with a SOLID argument for the huge amount of times where turf races are scratched due to rainy conditions. I checked out Sar wx last night and it did not look like anything out of ordinary but I'm not living up there. If I have a pet-peeve in sports this is The One! ! I just don't get it esp in light of fact that they can move rails out a little to avoid part of track that is most torn up.
Thx for reply Good luck today...already looking fwd to DelMar.

Sorry about your handicapping being wasted. No doubt that is really frustrating. There really is a major difference between firm and heavy or soft. As JBEX mentioned, training and running more regularly on an off turf surface will aid the horse over time. Unfortunately, between the breakdown worries that plagued Saratoga last year and the turf getting chewed up badly with over a month to go, with the opportunity to move these races back a week was probably the best of a messy group of choices.
It really gets fans upset and rightly so in many cases but it was probably the best option for safety of the horses as well as trying to maximize the life of the turf course.
GL if you play and welcome to the horse forum.

[JBEX]

yeah I thought it might be good or yielding based on the forecast but nothing this drastic
.. as far as how it affects the horse my guess would be like on dirt ,some run well on wet, others don't and everything in-between ..it's unfortunate but I'd rather wait if it's in really bad
shape (assuming surface condition does make a difference on the turf which I believe it does) .. if not optimal conditions of firm or good at least be yielding or soft to run the race


np and bol @ dmr