FG cuts purses

[Cannon Shell]

http://www.drf.com/news/article/110369.html

Damn polytrack!

[Bigsmc]

They should rip out their turf course and replace it with poly.

[golfer]

Originally Posted by Bigsmc

They should rip out their turf course and replace it with poly.

Can't decide whether to respond with a "Sharp Post", or "Are You High?"

[randallscott35]

You won't get my money with that takeout

[10 pnt move up]

How is this possible, they have a dirt course?

[Rudeboyelvis]

Originally Posted by Bigsmc

They should rip out their turf course and replace it with poly.

And dye it green. Problem solved. Next!

Seriously, growing grass in river silt, 4 feet below sea level and having 1200 lb. horses trample over it 5 times a day is hardly turf racing.

[DaTruth]

Originally Posted by Rudeboyelvis

And dye it green. Problem solved. Next!

Seriously, growing grass in river silt, 4 feet below sea level and having 1200 lb. horses trample over it 5 times a day is hardly turf racing.

If they would just switch to St. Augustine grass all their problems would be solved.

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by DaTruth

If they would just switch to St. Augustine grass all their problems would be solved.

That and not letting the people at Jazz fest wreck it every year.

[DaTruth]

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

That and not letting the people at Jazz fest wreck it every year.

At least they send that crew walking around the course 50 times to pick up all the chicken bones.

[Bigsmc]

Originally Posted by DaTruth

If they would just switch to St. Augustine grass all their problems would be solved.

St. Augustine looks hearty, but it is not. My 50lb kids ruin my yard with their foot traffic. I can only imagine how many races a St. Augustine turf course would last under half ton horses.

[DaTruth]

Originally Posted by Bigsmc

St. Augustine looks hearty, but it is not. My 50lb kids ruin my yard with their foot traffic. I can only imagine how many races a St. Augustine turf course would last under half ton horses.

I was half joking about the St. Augustine as it is a common grass in New Orleans. But it gets too clumpy to be raced upon.

But the stuff can be very durable, depending on which variety is used. I resod parts of my yard with the Sapphire variety and once it spread, it held up to human and canine traffic. It held up much better than other varieties, in particular Del Mar. The downside is it gets so thick that it gets a big buildup of thatch when it starts going dormant in the winter.

I can't remember Fair Grounds having as many problems with its turf course 20 years ago. The problems predate Katrina, so that can't be blamed. Who knows what the root of the problem is, but the course looks like a beach for too much of the meet.

[Left Bank]

Originally Posted by Bigsmc

They should rip out their turf course and replace it with poly.

How about pack the whole place up and move it out of state.

[Rudeboyelvis]

Originally Posted by Left Bank

How about pack the whole place up and move it out of state.

Tampa has a fabulous turf course

[Scav]

Originally Posted by Rudeboyelvis

Tampa has a fabulous turf course

And unbelievable, UNBELIEVABLE purses

[freddymo]

Originally Posted by Scav

And unbelievable, UNBELIEVABLE purses

Tampa wouldnt be a viable racing option IF it the weather wasnt OK.. Racing for 20k in a mdn spl is a joke.

Originally Posted by Rudeboyelvis

Tampa has a fabulous turf course

I think Turf Paradise has one of the best turf courses in the country right now too.

[cakes44]

Beulah's ain't too shabby either.

[DaTruth]

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

http://www.drf.com/news/article/110369.html

Damn polytrack!

At least some of the La-bred stakes felt the pain. Cutting the NO Hcp and Muniz to $400,000 won't make much difference, especially in the case of the Muniz. The Muniz could be $350k and attract as good as field.

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by DaTruth

At least some of the La-bred stakes felt the pain. Cutting the NO Hcp and Muniz to $400,000 won't make much difference, especially in the case of the Muniz. The Muniz could be $350k and attract as good as field.

Funny thing was the year I was third in the Muniz (I think Explosive Bid then) the pot was 700k, and that was pre-slots.

[DaTruth]

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

Funny thing was the year I was third in the Muniz (I think Explosive Bid then) the pot was 700k, and that was pre-slots.

For a year or two it was the third or fourth richest turf race in American at nine furlongs or less. I now think it has a bad spot on the calendar as any really good turf horses ready to run in the spring are going to the Kilroe if they are on the West Coast or to the Maker's Mark and then to the Churchill race. The Muniz still attracts a solid field, but I don't think we will see another Lord Smith vs Hawksely Hill or a Sarafan vs Beat Hollow type of top class battle any time soon. FG could probably do just as well by running a $300k turf race at 9 furlongs a few weeks after the Citation and then a $200k turf marathon to close out the meet.