The Windy City.

[Mall]

According to local weather reports, the wind gusts at Arl Sat reached 35mph, although at times it seemed even worse. Unless my eyes were playing tricks on me, Storybook Kid in the last race was actually knocked off stride by the wind when he started to make a move on the winner.

Although there was nothing in the DRF on Sun, virtually all of the jocks & trainers agreed that despite the listing, the turf was definitely not firm on Sat. Kent D. went so far as to say it would have been rated as ylding in SoCal, while most others said it was what most trks would rate as good. The give in the course was not due to the weather & I personally suspect it might have been to accomodate foreign horses, which might be worth keeping in mind for the BC.

The stats & the charts & the local sheets players also confirm that I was not jumping to conclusions based on too small a sample when I decided that the much preferred style at Arl is to race off the rail, even  alone on the lead. I\'ve seen more TG \"Xs\" at Arl than at any other track & at this pt I\'m not sure there shouldn\'t be even more than are assigned.

I assume David Patent & the other \"ass\" men out there will be on hand for the match race between Black Ruby & Taz at Del Mar on 9/8. I\'m one myself & would consider making the long trip if the race wasn\'t a mere 400 yds. Even moi can last longer than that after many more \"races\" & yrs than the so-called fastest ass in the West.

[dpatent]

What possibly could Black Ruby have to prove, having handed Taz his proverbial \'ass\' virtually every time they have raced over the past couple of years?  After all, HP has conquered me once and for all by virtue of two hair-splitting handicapping contest victories.  With her consistent thrashings of Taz, Black Ruby should be able to rest on her laurels.

Mall, your post reminds me to sing the praises of fair racing.  I grew up on the stuff when I was just old enough to bet, the fair being the only game in town where I come from.  I have to say, that despite all the jokes and shortcomings, the overall experience compares favorably to what many \'tier one\' tracks have to offer.  To wit:

You can buy a 32 oz. soda for $1.50.

They have more deep fried but dirt cheap foods than you can shake a corn dog at.

Despite the fact that half the jockes weigh in at 127 to 130 lbs. (thus causing 80% of the horses to carry overweight) can barely drive a tractor mower, much less a horse and are racing for $1,900 to $2,500 purse money, these guys give it their all every time.  One rider dislocated his pelvis, went to the hospital, had it popped back in and made it back for the last two races.

With a 1/2 mile bullring, you are always close to the action.  I caught a few dirt clods right in the eye.

The payoffs, though wildly unpredictable (the tri pools run around $4,000 in each race), and limited because the starting gate holds only 8 horses, are very generous if you can catch a tri with a horse on top who was not in the first three betting choices; most bettors are betting straight 1-2-3 tris and don\'t know a tri wheel from a wagon wheel.

You are actually required to do some actual handicapping because: 1) there are no Sheets available and 2) the horses come from a number of \'circuits\' -- usually the various county fairs in Montana, Idaho, Washington, and Northwest Canada.  Occasionally you\'ll get a ringer from No. Cal but just try comparing the competition in Lethbridge with Boise with the State Fair in Great Falls.

There was actually no mule racing this year.  All Q-horse (300 yards) and T-bred (5 furlongs to 1 1/16 miles).  Up to 12 races a day.

[Mall]

Alas, the fairs where I grew up featured for-amusement-only harness racing for horses which would shortly be hitched to the buggy of a Pennsylvania Dutch family with a patriach named Amos. BTW, this week\'s Blood-Horse has an article on fair racing in Cal. which I am certain you will found very interesting.

[JimP]

Mall, where did you get these jockey quotes about the condition of the track?

\'Although there was nothing in the DRF on Sun, virtually all of the jocks & trainers agreed that despite the listing, the turf was definitely not firm on Sat. Kent D. went so far as to say it would have been rated as ylding in SoCal, while most others said it was what most trks would rate as good. The give in the course was not due to the weather & I personally suspect it might have been to accomodate foreign horses, which might be worth keeping in mind for the BC.\'

[Mall]

Many were in the Tribune and/or Sun Times, & they were discussed at some length in the pre-race shows at Arl on Sun.  The Arl \"expert\" commentators were of the view that Kent D was simply relying on the same excuse he made for Astra had last yr, but said nothing re the actual condition of the turf. My guess is that those who bet on Astra & saw an uncharacteristic running style & race would have liked to have known before the race if there was considerable give in the course.