It's Christmas

[SCUDSBROTHER]

That's what Jeff Mullins (and actually most of the Socal trainers)think about training on the allweather surface at Hollywood Park.The management at H.P. is having to work hard to get trainers to bring only half of their horses to Hollywood Park(even though there are no races there right now.)Most trainers are thrilled with this surface,because they will be able to now train their horses as much as they would like(trainers have always lost more horses to morning injuries than to race injuries.)I think their is no doubt that some horses perform very well when they train on this surface,and then race on dirt.The field sizes in Socal should go way up at this HWD PARK meeting coming up.It would appear that Mullins is saving most of his starters for HWD.He obviously loves that surface(as far as his horse's health is concerned.)I would agree with the concerns of a few on here about the results of the actual races on this surface.I am not convinced that all tracks will be racing on it,but I think almost all tracks will have it to train on.They will have to do that,because people who train on it are gunna have so many less physical problems with their horses.

[2Hot4TV]

A big percentage of winners in the first 3 weeks of Oaktree have been working on Hollywoods Cushion track. There are some hanicapping angles right now that are paying off and I hope to do as well when they race at Hollywood's winter meet.
Some poeple think that the trainers won't knock it for fear of falling from track managements favor. So far I disagree and the proof is in the horses training on Cushion track are running well and winning.

[Cajungator26]

Why not just train on the turf, then? I'm sorry, but this all weather track is more similar to the turf than it is to dirt.

[2Hot4TV]

Originally Posted by Cajungator26

Why not just train on the turf, then? I'm sorry, but this all weather track is more similar to the turf than it is to dirt.

You are right to a point and to the maintaince on the turf would be next to imposible.
Horses that train 5 furlongs on Cushion track vs Santa Anita dirt will come back breathing much harder than the same work at Santa Anita and their knees and ankles will be tight and cold.
Horse that train on most California track seem to just bounce over the top of the track and don't really get much out of the work and come back to the barn with slight problems like puffy ankles and hot tendons. When a trainer works them longer the horses will be prone to injury and body sore. Same for Del Mar, Golden Gate, Bay Meadows and the old Hollywood Parks Dirt. Just what I have seen.

[GenuineRisk]

Originally Posted by Cajungator26

Why not just train on the turf, then? I'm sorry, but this all weather track is more similar to the turf than it is to dirt.

I think because the turf will get torn up pretty badly with regular training over it. Is this wrong?