Re: "Faster than they used to be" (498 Views)
Posted by:
TGJB (IP Logged)
Date: November 15, 2004 03:21PM
As far as the Finley piece goes:
1-- I would like to know exactly what the questions were to the CD track super. In either 2000 or 2001 a higher percentage of clay was added, enough to be visible to the naked eye and change the color of the track according to Elliot Walden. That was also when the times for the Derby started getting faster again, which is either because of the change in track surface or because the horses were getting faster, take your pick. Point being, if he didn't tell Finley that, what other things were left out-- it's not all about cushion depth. It's also about soil content, moisture etc.
2-- The stat about number of fast times at longer distances is misleading for several reasons, one of which is that the number of longer races has diminished, and another of which is that a lot of the longer races are run at Belmont, which is clearly a lot slower.
3-- Michael, again, I'm not interested in proving anything to you. I'm interested in making accurate figures, and I'm reporting what I have found while doing it. I know what's happening by the methods I use to measure track speed-- what we're talking about here are the possible reasons for it.
TGJB