Installing Poly Track

[Uncle Buck]

I just happen to be at the Del Mar Racetrack this weekend for my car show and earlier I rode over to the actual track itself to take a look at the Polytrack installation. Wow! What a trip. Right now at the finish line its solid black top...as in a road surface black top. Out on the clubhouse turn they\'ve started laying down the actual polytrack which rests on top of the asphalt.

I had no idea that below the 4 inch surface of the polytrack is hard-as-a-rock asphalt. Bizarre for sure. Wish I could post a picture or two...

Good luck this weekend to everyone with the World Cup and Fla Derby cards...

[marcus]

Uncle Buck , DMR must have been quite a sight - I watched a video from the Keeneland/Racing web site that went through all the steps of their new surface installation and it definately was something that may be cause or reason for one to ponder - at least it was for me .   To have seen that first hand must have been some trip indeed - between that and the car show   ...   The Meadowlands in NJ will have Car Show / Doo-Wop  weekend every couple years at the Hockey Rink and it\'s totally a good time    ...  

 Best I could tell from the poly track installation video  , the concrete  base has all the Trakus/GPS stuff in it and other wires too - lights , toteboard  etc  , maybe some drainage equipment  and  lots of rebar holding it all together .

[NoCarolinaTony]

Look at the Keeneland website. They have pictures and video of Polytrack install.

NC Tony

[marcus]

After reading about some of the problems at Woodbine  regarding how temprature and humidity affect the new surface , I\'m wondering if heating / climate controll systems could be added into the concrete base to help moderate the composition and meterial adherance issues . Sounds to me like an easy enough problem to solve - and it could be done before it\'s time for the 2007 Breeders Cup and Fall Classic Subway Series   ...

[Barry Irwin]

The rush to install synthetic surfaces has gone too far. California\'s insistence is puzzling. I can see having a track or two use it, but until there is enough experience with it, more troubles will occur than horses will be helped. I find the Bay Meadows fiasco deplorable.

[Bally Ache]

Barry Irwin

I agree with you about polytrack.  It would seem, particularly in Cal., that there\'s a subtext here somewhere. And it\'s a shame about Bay Meadows, except from this perspective; the Cal racing bureaucrats seem to be looking for a climbdown from their highhanded position but Bay Meadows management is holding their feet to the fire.

[miff]

Quite a bit of the rush had to do with Barbaro breaking down on national TV and the animal rights loons and sponsors.Speaking to people at NYRA it seems that NY will not go the poly way(maybe the inner)A stronger maintenance program (more funds) is all that is needed along with better testing and keeping the ones too ouchy off the track.

In California the main goal is to have larger fields and keep the entry box filled for business reasons,thats understandable.Poly has helped in that regard.

Mike

[miff]

Received a call yesterday that the old front runner in the NYRA franchise deal, Excelsior, is a goner because Steinbrenner and company bailed on Swindal (his soon to be ex son in law)

The idioticians in Albany are now down to NYRA, Empire Racing( cluless small time group with upstate connection) and the Australian group( no chance, I hear) If anyone has a few hundred million and a few in reserve, now is the time to step up.The proposed changes to the NY racing law will be profound if the Governor gets the right guidance from his people. There are several pro racing legislators who will be key in shaping NY racings future.Much of the onerous  state burden on NYRA and NYC OTB could be lifted for the betterment of the players, owners, trainers and all involved.


check out bloodhorse:Excelsior Loses Steinbrenner Family Backing


Mike

[marcus]

I definately agree %100 & personally I find the BM news sickening , it all could have been avoided ... imo - many of the problems with the new track surface installations seem to be not born out \"engineering\" in nature , but rather , short comings incured during  the \"planning \" or \"conceptual\" phase\'s of the construction projects,  and are good indicators that \"things\" are moving too fast along these lines .

[richiebee]

Miff:

     They are dropping like flies. Hard to imagine about 2 years ago the debate
was which entity would be worse for NY Racing, Churchill or Magna. Each of
those organizations expanded into debt to the extent that neither of them is a
major player, even as a joint venturer.

     Crist in his DRF article seems to feel that Spitzer is leaning towards
creating a public authority to administer racing in the state. If this authority
is given control over the OTBs and is given the power to reel in the New York
State Thoroughbred Greeders, and partners with an established gaming company to
administer the VLTs and operate the facilities, Racing in the Empire State might
begin on the comeback trail.

     A quarter of a century ago, some of the most famous names in American
commerce would not have allowed New York racing to descend to its current
depths. But where now are the Phippses, the Vanderbilts, the Whitneys, and the
Mellons?

     I would like to see Spitzer try to get Steve Crist a little more involved.
The DRF has improved under Crist\'s stewardship, but the articles in DRF which
criticize racing and its participants are rather mild where they need to be
scathing. Bottom line is that DRF, for all of its improvements and increased
access, is still Racing\'s house organ and as such will never be an implement of
change for the better.

     Its Easter time, Steve. Roll away the stone. Get a glove and get in the
game.