I think this tells us (like we did not already know this) that racing is not about bettors, you or me, the horses, or anything else. It's insider run, with decisions made by insiders for the benefit of other insiders.
I'll spare some tweets from the people who like dirt (there are lots) and share only the ones who cut a knife through the interesting logic (illogic?) in this situation.
On the day @Keeneland announces the pull the Poly, 13 fillies enter synthetic Ashland - larger betting field than the FG & GP Oaks on dirt
— Byron King (@DRFByronKing) April 2, 2014
I guess record field size, record handle, record attendance & record low fatality numbers was not the ultimate goal for racing...
— Candice Curtis (@skipaway2000) April 2, 2014
This is horse racing: Stats show Synthetic tracks are safest by far. So Keeneland decides to go back to dirt http://t.co/MIlPzaSleO
— Joe Drape (@joedrape) April 2, 2014
@Pullthepocket He also prefaced that by admitting that synths are safer. Culture will never change as long as money rules the day.
— Alan Mann (@alanLATG) April 2, 2014
KEE Poly was my last real source of regular quality value. I guess it's time to bet sports at a 10% rake.
— Jerod Dinkin (@J_Dinks) April 2, 2014
Field size at Keeneland is 9.61. Handle all time high. Top meet, brand solid. I wonder what Nick Nicholson is thinking right now.
— Pullthepocket (@Pullthepocket) April 2, 2014
Maybe I'm an idiot, maybe I don't get 'it'. But when you have safest track in the country & set handle records. What exactly is the problem?
— Alex Goggin (@AlGoggin) April 2, 2014
You'd think no one ever played KEE based on the number "I can finally play KEE again!!!" comments on DRF post at FB
— dana byerly (@superterrific) April 2, 2014
Also interesting to note that @DRFInsidePost has RTed plenty of "yeah, back to dirt!!!" tweets
— dana byerly (@superterrific) April 2, 2014
It's complicated but the facts are polytrack has been safer & that's my disappointment. Lets hope the new dirt @keeneland is much improved.
— GrahamMotion (@GrahamMotion) April 2, 2014
Great Keeneland will go back to speed biased dirt track . Last shot as big prices and Poly races next 4 weeks.
— Keeneland Dan (@fatbaldguyracin) April 2, 2014
if the microscope is on you for treatment of animals, wouldn't it be smart to keep the one proven thing that reduces animal deaths?
— Candice Curtis (@skipaway2000) April 2, 2014
@gregoryahall Maybe the speed bias will be back too and we can have thrilling and meaningful races like Sinister Minister's Blue Grass.
— Alan Mann (@alanLATG) April 2, 2014
Racing will go on. Poly, Dirt, Turf. I love it all. Just fascinated by Keeneland abandoning Poly at height of success w/ Field Size & Handle
— Mike Adams (@GateToWire) April 2, 2014
4 comments:
...and so it goes, I guess the only thing to do is compare breakdown rates from 2012-2014 versus breakdown rates for Fall 2014-2015 and see the comparison. We can only hope for the horses and the jockeys at this point. This decision won't be overturned between now and installation.
This is great news, I haven't bet Keeneland in nearly a decade. I will be betting this fall.
I felt the same when many tracks decided to go over to synthetics. I was not happy because these tracks didn't care to consult or survey what the bettors felt about it. It was just in another sign of disregard for the customer.
It really came across as a bad case of sour grapes on my part. After all, it was for the safety of the horse.
Now, it is happening again in the other direction. I am once again on the wrong side of the issue. I am happy about the change back to dirt. I am not sure I can justify it. Maybe, I was still angry about the first move. I guess in the end, it can be concluded, I just have a bad attitude!
Seems like as always, "facts" can be manipulated to achieve a desired result. Has anybody questioned the POSSIBILTY that since most of the synthetic tracks are of the "higher class" variety, then MAYBE the reason there are less fatal breakdowns is because a much sounder, "classier" horse tends to be racing over those surfaces? Does the possibility exist that if you took the old, lame horses currently racing primarily on dirt track and had them race on synthetic surfaces that MAYBE they would break down just as often? And conversely, if you raced a lot of the horses currently competing on the synthetic surfaces and put them on dirt tracks, that MAYBE they'd hold up just as well? Sorry for the long-winded response - my point is that perhaps fatal breakdowns are more a function of the type of horses that are racing, rather than the surface they are racing on.
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