"Why tinker with it at all? They needed to speed the track up??? I guess there weren't enough horses winning on the lead LOL."

IMO, running style and other preferences should be given at least some consideration. Perhaps there are alternatives that can be explored besides Poly that also increase safety without changing the game too much.

The value of a stallion is tied to how its offspring perform on the track.

The value of a yearling is tied to its potential to earn and prove itself on the track.

If Polytrack tends to favor more even paced runners with higher degrees of stamina and horses that have also shown a preference for the turf (which IMO is the case), one would suspect that some sires would produce more horses that like poly over dirt and vice versa.

Even if some breeders, owners, and others don't realize it yet, the values of many horses are already probably starting to shift because of the recent surface changes and different styles of horses that are winning as a result.

As the number of important opportunities on dirt shrinks, the number of opportunities to earn black type and large sums of money on dirt falls also. So do the corresponding values. On the flip side, poly sires (actually possibly turf sires) are probably rising in value.

Had poly remained a second string circuit phenomenon, I don't there would have been a major impact. However, it won't be long until the SA Derby, SA Handicap, Pacific Classic, Del Mar Handicap etc.... are all being run on artificial surfaces.

What is the value of a horse that earned it's Grade 1 on poly but can't lift a hoof on dirt? What is the value of its sire?

What is the value of a dirt horse that can't lift a hoof on poly now that it's about to lose dozens of chances to earn Grade 1 status or large purses in CA? What is the value of its sire?



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 02/06/2007 03:18PM by fkach.