Old DMR dirt track

[Swigert]

Does anyone remember how many horses died on the DMR dirt track in its last year before polytrack was installed?

25, plus a lot of injuries.

I'm grateful for the new surface. All the naysayers must have very short memories.

[Bloker]

Very well put. They did what they had to do in installing the new surface, no one else was offering any better suggestions.

The surface has worked as far as I'm concerned.

[Dmmicele]

It's seems time has told the story . first two years were brutal for hadicappers and trainers . This year seems to be a different story . I was at the track Wed. and Thurs. and watched a few on the weekend and was happy to see a very fair surface at all levels . We will have to keep an eye on things when temps start to go up like this week .

[Joel]

Does anyone remember how many horses died on the DMR dirt track in its last year before polytrack was installed?

25, plus a lot of injuries.

I'm grateful for the new surface. All the naysayers must have very short memories.

Agree, and it is too bad this is posted on this Forum, one that most people, myself included, rarely read.

I have maintained since Day 1 that those that want to return to dirt are mostly Handicappers and Horse Trainers that don't want to do the necessary "work" to re-learn how to handicap or to train a horse to race on a new surface.

No doubt that Polytrack has saved dozens of racehorses from death since it was installed a few years ago..

[Wakwak]

YEAH i rememberDMR DIRT last race meet,it was a shame, either the horses were over medicated, dirt surface too hard, or vets not doing their job in pre race vet check, i used gringe during every race, how the hell does this garbage go on i thought, something had to be done, if horses get injuries on poly, better than dying on track, well perhaps some owners , trainers had insurance coverage, some of them were better off the horse died, than have the expense of vet bills, i can name 100 creepy trainers and owners that should be shot.

I DON'T KNOW about you but after every race , i count the horses crossing the wire, then check the program to how many, if it all adds up, a sigh of relief, i wish they could run on cream cheese 10 feet thick, i don't want to see it, who does!

[Swigert]

Well said, everyone.

I hear very few people who complain about polytrack harken back to the days of a breakdown every 15 races. Del Mar has always had a problematic racing surface because of its proximity to the ocean. Until they find a way to alleviate the tide changes, it's likely to continue to need tweeking throughout the day. In that respect, polytrack and dirt are similar. But at least with the new track far fewer horses need to be used as guinea pigs.

[Syncopate]

Well said, everyone.

I hear very few people who complain about polytrack harken back to the days of a breakdown every 15 races. Del Mar has always had a problematic racing surface because of its proximity to the ocean. Until they find a way to alleviate the tide changes, it's likely to continue to need tweeking throughout the day. In that respect, polytrack and dirt are similar. But at least with the new track far fewer horses need to be used as guinea pigs.

When Stein had Tedesco on his show, even he ( Tedesco ) mentioned that he had to learn how too adapt to the tides. There have always been those that say they are a factor, those who say they aren't. But when the track man says they are, they are.

[Dondogs]

Does anyone know (for sure) the elevation/altitude of the track surface?

I live near the coast and am at around 6' above sea level. It appears that the track is a bit higher. I'm not sure of the influence that tides would have at that elevation, since the total track depth is probably under 2 feet including base.

[MaryS]

Does anyone know (for sure) the elevation/altitude of the track surface?

I live near the coast and am at around 6' above sea level. It appears that the track is a bit higher. I'm not sure of the influence that tides would have at that elevation, since the total track depth is probably under 2 feet including base.

If there ever was any influence of the tides, I suspect it's long gone. Some years before we put in the Polytrack (1999, I believe) we excavated way down into the base and applied limestone to firm it up.

With the drainage system for the Polytrack, any water in the soil from tidal action would be carried off by the drainage pipes.

Never have seen any analysis of how the presumed effects of tides affected results. We did used to list tides on the home page for the benefit of folks who were into that sort of thing. (Probably used more by visitors planning a walk on the beach.)

[Swigert]

While I'm no expert, I agree with Mr. Tedesco that tides do affect the moisture in the track. The polytrack drainage systems are designed to drain water---as in rainwater---not moisture that seeps into the material. Kind of like a sponge which takes on enough water to be moist but not wringing wet.