Praying for Cash retired

...and YES, he broke down over the Polytrack at Keeneland. No, he never went down in front of the public like many career ending-injuries that will be had on Polytrack, but he still broke down bad enough to never run again - and many others do everyday.

So, is Polytrack STILL a better track now just because it hides the grotesque breakdowns on the track from the public unlik dirt? the truth is that there are and will still be horrible injuries on Polytrack, but is it good enough from an image-standpoint to our sport if they don't go down on the track? Is that the REAL reason we embraced this stuff?

[paisjpq]

he survived it didn't he?

Originally Posted by paisjpq

he survived it didn't he?

I think thats the problem with how "breakdowns" are being sold to the public on this stuff.
Thats two garded stakes horses in a week whose careers are over now(Noble Stella) after working on poly. WOuld they have broken on dirt? probably.
But the breakdown stat being pumped here by poly propagandists is strictly tragic brteakdowns, menaing put down on the track.
They don't keep stats for carrer ending injuries so long as the horse has a pulse.
This is the biggest myth and crock ever attempted to be perpetuated on the American racing public.
Sorry to hear this talented colt won't be running anymore.

[paisjpq]

Originally Posted by oracle80

I think thats the problem with how "breakdowns" are being sold to the public on this stuff.
Thats two garded stakes horses in a week whose careers are over now(Noble Stella) after working on poly. WOuld they have broken on dirt? probably.
But the breakdown stat being pumped here by poly propagandists is strictly tragic brteakdowns, menaing put down on the track.
They don't keep stats for carrer ending injuries so long as the horse has a pulse.
This is the biggest myth and crock ever attempted to be perpetuated on the American racing public.
Sorry to hear this talented colt won't be running anymore.

I am neither for or against polytrack, my point was simply that had this horse been injured on the dirt he may not have survived. I think, that he did survive, is a benefit.

Do they keep stats for career ending injuries on the dirt? I would be interested in comparing those two numbers.

[kentuckyrosesinmay]

I do believe that a synthetic surface is safer than SOME dirt surfaces. However, I would have much rather seen tracks trying to tweak their dirt surfaces to make them safer rather than just embracing synthetic surfaces. Like the good dirt surfaces, synthetic surfaces aren't going to prevent all breakdowns. I do believe they they prevent a lot of breakdowns or the breakdowns from being so grotesque or fatal though. I need to see more to make a decision on how safe that I think the synthetic surfaces are compared to a good dirt surface. I would imagine that they are about the same.

With that being said, I definitely think that polytrack has purposes on tracks that need an all-weather surface, tracks that have had an unimaginable number of breakdowns who have tried tweaking their dirt surface, or for training purposes. Otherwise, KEEP IT OUT OF THE INDUSTRY!!!

[Cajungator26]

I think that the stuff is still too new to make overly drastic opinions on it in ANY DIRECTION as of yet, but I believe that they are selling this stuff as "safer" and I don't think it is any safer than a well cushioned dirt track. JMO...

I have showed on the stuff for YEARS and my jumper did NOT like it at all. While it isn't as hard on a horse's legs impactually, it IS harder on them in the standpoint that it takes more effort to pick the legs up out of it. That was my experience with the stuff.

[kentuckyrosesinmay]

Most of my horses have done wonderful over the stuff. They get a ton of bounce off of it. Well, most of the horses that I have ridden are incredibly scopy anyway...

I don't think that it is any harder for them to pick their legs up out of than a dirt ring unless they have the ring incredibly deep with the stuff (I've actually ridden in a horribly deep dirt ring before, but not a horribly deep sand/rubber mixed ring). My horses bounce over it. At the big shows up here, that is not the case. The surfaces in the rings are always incredible. Otherwise, show management would have a lot of mad riders and trainers.

[LARHAGE]

Originally Posted by kentuckyrosesinmay

I do believe that a synthetic surface is safer than SOME dirt surfaces. However, I would have much rather seen tracks trying to tweak their dirt surfaces to make them safer rather than just embracing synthetic surfaces. Like the good dirt surfaces, synthetic surfaces aren't going to prevent all breakdowns. I do believe they they prevent a lot of breakdowns or the breakdowns from being so grotesque or fatal though. I need to see more to make a decision on how safe that I think the synthetic surfaces are compared to a good dirt surface. I would imagine that they are about the same.

With that being said, I definitely think that polytrack has purposes on tracks that need an all-weather surface, tracks that have had an unimaginable number of breakdowns who have tried tweaking their dirt surface, or for training purposes. Otherwise, KEEP IT OUT OF THE INDUSTRY!!!

Again, it is far too early in the career of Polytrack to come up with definitive numbers on breakdowns, the fact of the matter as it stands right now is there have been an ENORMOUS amount of career/catastrophic breakdowns on the current dirt surfaces, of that there is no denying. The mere fact something, ANYTHING, is being done to alleviate this trajedy should be applauded. I say lets let the next few years determine the safety to the horses and riders. The races will still be run, gamblers will still lay bets and the games will continue no worse for wear, we have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

I will say that anyone who actually knows horses intimately, ie.. actually is hands on owners, riders etc... will tell you to a person that there is no way you can deny the surface is easier on a horses legs, now whether that translates to better racing in the afternoons is the question.

Originally Posted by LARHAGE

I will say that anyone who actually knows horses intimately, ie.. actually is hands on owners, riders etc... will tell you to a person that there is no way you can deny the surface is easier on a horses legs,

I am - and it is actually harder on horse's soft tissue, which is just as crucial to their ability to stay healthy enough to be racehorses than bone conditions and injuries sustained by concussion on dirt....

Originally Posted by paisjpq

he survived it didn't he?

And you're saying he wouldn't have had he broken down on the dirt? wWho knows? The only thing I'm trying to point out is that Polytrack is still breaking down horses, and yes, I'm sure the concussion isn't as bad and there will be less horses go down on the track - BUT you also have to remember that we're talking about a horse with a future as a stallion here.....What about the other 95% of horses that are cliamers and break down on Polytrack that are geldings or not good enough to breed? Where do they go?....Yeah, they may not die on the track, but MANY of them will go to slaughterhouses eventually anyway.

The bottomline is that horses are still breaking down regularly....who cares aboyt image of how and where they break down?...Most are dead soon anyway because most are too cheap to take care of if they have no revenue potential - and thats just the plain truth....

So what we have esentialy done with the implementation of Polytrack is percievably cleaned-up our public opinion by the lack of breakdowns ON THE TRACK, and for that we have to trade the entire way we breed horses and taint the entire tradition of our game?

...thats a trade I bet 90% of horse fans who understand the entire sport would not agree to make - But the deal with the devil is unfortunately in process

[SniperSB23]

Originally Posted by Cunningham Racing

The bottomline is that horses are still breaking down regularly....who cares aboyt image of how and where they break down?...Most are dead soon anyway because most are too cheap to take care of if they have no revenue potential - and thats just the plain truth....

So what we have esentialy done with the implementation of Polytrack is percievably cleaned-up our public opinion by the lack of breakdowns ON THE TRACK, and for that we have to trade the entire way we breed horses and taint the entire tradition of our game?

...thats a trade I bet 90% of horse fans who understand the entire sport would not agree to make - But the deal with the devil is unfortunately in process

The people who own Noble Stella and Praying for Cash certainly care that their horses just suffered career ending injuries and can still be bred rather than dying on the track. Also, every career ending injury to a horse with breeding value does not necessarily mean it would be a career ending injury to horses without breeding value.

Originally Posted by SniperSB23

The people who own Noble Stella and Praying for Cash certainly care that their horses just suffered career ending injuries and can still be bred rather than dying on the track. Also, every career ending injury to a horse with breeding value does not necessarily mean it would be a career ending injury to horses without breeding value.

So you are saying they WOULD have definately died on a dirt track? ....Can you also tell me what the Pick 6 numbers are going to be today at Keeneland while you're at it?

Originally Posted by SniperSB23

The people who own Noble Stella and Praying for Cash certainly care that their horses just suffered career ending injuries and can still be bred rather than dying on the track. Also, every career ending injury to a horse with breeding value does not necessarily mean it would be a career ending injury to horses without breeding value.

yeah, you are right, ones with no vlaue will be put down anyway.

[paisjpq]

Originally Posted by Cunningham Racing

The bottomline is that horses are still breaking down regularly....who cares aboyt image of how and where they break down?...Most are dead soon anyway because most are too cheap to take care of if they have no revenue potential - and thats just the plain truth....

So what we have esentialy done with the implementation of Polytrack is percievably cleaned-up our public opinion by the lack of breakdowns ON THE TRACK, and for that we have to trade the entire way we breed horses and taint the entire tradition of our game?

...thats a trade I bet 90% of horse fans who understand the entire sport would not agree to make - But the deal with the devil is unfortunately in process

who cares about public perception? do you know anything about marketing joel...I'm certain that you do since you are an authority on every other aspect of horse racing...do you not think that those who market the game and attempt on a daily basis to bring in new fans care about the way catstrophic breakdowns are portayed in the media? Whatever the end result with cheap claimers you have got to have your head up your @ss if you don't think the front office cares about the difference between what happened to this horse (who sustained a survivable injury) and say, what happened to Go for Wand.
And without the influx of new fans and bettors (who will adapt to the surface) you will eventually have no breeding industry. So ye,s maintaining a favorable public image is paramount to the survival of the sport, and if that means poly track you should get used to it.

[sham]

I would submit to all that there have been an insufficient number of races to draw conclusions about the safty of artificial surfaces. We'll know soon enough.

Originally Posted by paisjpq

who cares about public perception? do you know anything about marketing joel...I'm certain that you do since you are an authority on every other aspect of horse racing...do you not think that those who market the game and attempt on a daily basis to bring in new fans care about the way catstrophic breakdowns are portayed in the media? Whatever the end result with cheap claimers you have got to have your head up your @ss if you don't think the front office cares about the difference between what happened to this horse (who sustained a survivable injury) and say, what happened to Go for Wand.
And without the influx of new fans and bettors (who will adapt to the surface) you will eventually have no breeding industry. So ye,s maintaining a favorable public image is paramount to the survival of the sport, and if that means poly track you should get used to it.

It's funny that you made my point exactly...yes, I have a marketing degree, actually, and I worked in the marketing dept. at Churchill Downs Inc. for a couple of years, and as a marketing guy I would say that making outcomes of races less predictable and more phony, building champions with inferior pedigrees that like to run on rubber, ruining the tradition of our game and the classic bloodlines, and running the core customer away by telling him that all of the handicappingt tools that he acquired over a lifetime ar now all irrelvant and you have to re-learn how to play this game - I would say those are MARKETING NIGHTMARES...

You made my point exactly...the game has traded a public image nightmare on one facet for 10 public image nightmares on other levels...

[SniperSB23]

Originally Posted by Cunningham Racing

...and YES, he broke down over the Polytrack at Keeneland. No, he never went down in front of the public like many career ending-injuries that will be had on Polytrack, but he still broke down bad enough to never run again - and many others do everyday.

So, is Polytrack STILL a better track now just because it hides the grotesque breakdowns on the track from the public unlik dirt? the truth is that there are and will still be horrible injuries on Polytrack, but is it good enough from an image-standpoint to our sport if they don't go down on the track? Is that the REAL reason we embraced this stuff?

I'm not even a horse lover but if we are replacing catastrophic breakdowns with career ending injuries where the horse survives for a life after racing I think that is a huge positive. I do agree that they should release seperate numbers for catastrophic breakdowns and career ending injuries to make the comparisons of how much safer polytrack is than dirt.