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General Category => Ask the Experts => Topic started by: JR on October 28, 2011, 09:30:38 AM

Title: Synthetic Course Comparisons
Post by: JR on October 28, 2011, 09:30:38 AM
With Saturday\'s Lexington in mind, can anyone provide a comparison of the various synthetic courses around the country? Which ones play more like turf and which ones play more like dirt? Most notably AP, TP, KEE?
Title: Re: Synthetic Course Comparisons
Post by: Ill-bred on October 28, 2011, 11:36:19 AM
Kee is most like turf, but it really tightens up in cold n wet weather like we are now having. It began as a closer track 5 years ago, but tactical speed is quite deadly there recently as the poly degrades and the top pad thins out.

Arlington is a deeper surface, a little more like dirt, but it still carries the overall footing profile of the synthetics.

Turfway is like racing on the moon, except with gravity. The trailing horses must gallop through clouds of kickback and conversely you will see a lot of jocks choosing the ridiculously wide trip over the kickback trip.

None of them play like dirt.

Hollywood Park is the closest synth to dirt move.
Title: Re: Synthetic Course Comparisons
Post by: JR on October 28, 2011, 12:01:18 PM
Thanks a bunch.