Thursday, February 12, 2009
 

No racing at the Big A today. This is the second time in recency that a planned six-day straight sked has gone down the tubes.

A shame too as I was really looking forward to a few races on the card today. The first and seventh races intrigued me and I spent a lot of time in taking the extra time to try some match-up stuff that I was studying last night.

hey charles
you like off tracks?

I like them when I can find appropriate runners. There are those who just love the sloppy going. But I tend to prefer "sloppy" to "muddy" as lone earlies really have an advantage there.

But I find that at AQU, a "muddy" track seems to favor closers. I think it was Ainslie who said that mud was the great equalizer. The biggest mutuel that I ever got was Temperence Hill in the mud for the Belmont in 1980. It was about 53/1.

I'm betting one race today as I need to go to work at 1pm..

Tampa 4TH

this race is sooo baddd..most runners tried this condition several times and lost by football fields...

I will try to bet the fav #12...1 for 9 at this track and comes from behind

My choice will be the #1, 2nd off layoff and with new connections...comment for last was evenly....hes 4 out of 5 on this track in the money..can be just off pace from 1 hole..

good luck

mike

Race 2. Tampa

9-4-3

Unless one has a Riva Ridge or Cougar II who had a supreme disdain for unstable footing, horses adapt much better than we think. Even Easy Goer, though he did not like unstable footing, ran only slightly less than on a dry surface. FAR TOO MUCH is made of footing. These are animals that evolved in all weathers. It aids the speed horses tremendously with the "clean silk syndrome" winning more than it's share on off days. At Fort Erie, it often becomes such a quagmire that the best first fraction horses hold on very well.

I'm going back a few years as I've not purchased a DRF in ages. I remember when they would have an indication as to whether a horse was a "superior mudder." I have no idea if they still do that.

But the criteria for that designation seemed to be if you won one off track race, you got the check mark. Eventually, it appeared that everyone got a check since sooner or later a horse is bound to win on off-going. So, yes, you're right, horses can adapt fairly well.

Back then (long before home PCs) I was compiling all sorts of data daily, and I started making notes on off-track winners and pretty soon I had a select list of superior blood lines for mudders - Dewan and Jaipur stick in my head all these years later. Using that, I was able to get some decent prices in maiden races with first timers that were held in the slop.

I really wish that when Ted gets around to upgrading RDSS that sire and dam info can be added.