CDI Suspends Racing?

[Tavasco]

Link to news article

[jerry]

I suspect the track surface was/is too hard. It seemed like derby week yielded some pretty fast times.

[shanahan]

Yes, apparently it\'s a very rare racing surface which is only gets \"unsafe\" during the week...I\'m sure it\'s fine today.
Morons at CDI - what an insulting message to send.  \"it\'ll be fine till Wednesday\"

[statuette]

I think Baffert is the only one smiling

[BitPlayer]

I think this is all about politics/PR. If there was something wrong with the track that they could find using current techniques, they would have found it by now and done something.  The alternative (assuming that there is a problem) is that there is an issue with training/racing practices, and moving the races to Ellis won\'t do anything about that.  It will, however, move racing to an area where there is less intense press coverage.

[toppled]

Peta has chimed in wanting an artificial surface.  It worked so well at Keeneland.

[kencbs]

Also worked wonders at Santa Anita

[pip4126]

If all major tracks go to synthetic the sport we all love will slowly fade away.

[statuette]

Would more turf be an alternative

[richiebee]

I have great memories of Churchill Downs from long ago. Some of the best memories
are softball games we used to play in the CD infield before the turf course was
installed. AJ Foyt\'s annual backstretch barbecue on Derby Day. Being introduced to Nelson
Bunker Hunt and his daughters in the clubhouse on the day Genuine Risk won the
Derby.

The Churchill Downs of the present has a lovely record: everything they touch
either meets the wrecker\'s ball or turns into a sh--show.

More turf racing an interesting proposition but CD has had huge problems
maintaining the turf course at Fair Grounds and I will reoffer my free advice:
Just pick a local landscaper out of the Yellow Pages and let them try their
luck, they can not do any worse than the \"professionals\" CD has had to maintain
the grass course at FG.

Would a switch to SYNTHETIC kill racing? Not as quickly as PETA or politicians
can if drugs and equine deaths dominate the racing headlines.