We don't have it for small tracks or all big ones, and I'll guarantee Andy and Len don't have it, both because they don't think it's important and, in Len's case, because many tracks are covered by guys watching on TV.

I do try and get that stuff when I can, but the key point is this-- you can be okay without it as long as you don't make false assumptions. I knew enough to rely on the horses and not assume the track stayed the same speed long before I knew why it was changing, and started focusing on gathering this info much more last year after I started talking to NYRA track superintendent Jerry Porcelli in conjunction with the posts I was writing here about horses improving, and track maintenance.

As you make these small adjustments over the years your data base gets tighter and tighter, and through the more accurate figures, changes in track speed become clearer.

We are learning more and more how to use computers in-house to help us, as well. I mentioned a couple of months ago we had set up a program to check the sprint/route relationships at all tracks. Well, Andy mentioned at the Expo he had come up with a way to make sure figures at all the circuits lined up correctly, and I thought about that a little, and we'll be doing something similar and accurate soon. We also have come up with something pretty far out to replace claiming pars even as a starting point (we use them for convenience sake only), which we will be implementing very soon, and which will help a lot with the European figures. For that one I want to give Connie Merjos a tip of the hat, and as always to George for executing stuff that is so far ahead of the curve it's not even funny.



TGJB