Jimbo:

I am not a big proponent of the synthetic surface, but am realistic enough
to see the proverbial writing on the wall. I am just hoping that when Polymania
comes to the NY tracks, the powers that be take advantage of the size of the
downstate facilities and retain the traditional dirt surfaces.

Personally I am most active during the Fair Grounds meet and frankly I am
afraid that the Churchill people will soon be announcing that FG, which has
very wet winters, will be going synthetic.

It is probably too early to tell if synthetic is safer, and I am sure
time will prove that some of the synthetic surfaces are safer than others. And
as time goes on, racetrack management will learn how to "soup up" a synthetic
surface to produce fast times on a day which features big races and how to make
it less glib when trainers and owners complain that their animals are coming
back "ouchy".

Here are the reasons why synthetic is here to stay, whether certain
horseplayers like it or not:

1) Dilution of the thoroughbred gene pool, resulting in a less sound
thoroughbred population;

2) Fewer and fewer true horsemen in the game able to hold horses together;

3) There is less maintenance (and thus less expense) involved with
synthetic;

4) The weatherproof nature of synthetic makes for larger fields on days
when tracks used to lose many runners to weather related scratches; and

5) A large portion of the wagering population is not quite as discerning
as the average TG board poster/ TG info user in that the surface doesn't matter
so long as the action is there.

The hardboot purists in Kentucky seemed to support synthetic at Keeneland and
when the sad day comes that the first Kentucky Derby and first Breeders Cup Day
are run over synthetic these wildly popular events will lose none of their
luster or prestige.

Jimbo you are a smart young man and you will learn how to adapt and pick
your spots, if you haven't already. Recently in NY, as I am sure you know, dirt
racing has almost become a novelty the way turf racing used to be.

Recently my favorite surface has been the lush green fairways of some of
the local golf courses. I will however take a couple of days off from "hacking
and whacking" this weekend to attend the races at the greatest summer resort
racing meet which still runs on dirt.