Great Article for all Handicappers to read
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Pro-Ride Vs Mother Nature
The much anticipated Santa Anita winter meet at the Great Race Place was off and running this past Friday, December 26th, and after what many felt was a very successful Oak Tree meet, highlighted by the 2008 Breeders Cup, the big question on everyones mind has been how would the much heralded Pro Ride synthetic surface hold up in the colder weather at the Winter Meet? It did not take long to find out! The meet got off to an auspicious start before even the first race was run. Fatal Bullet, runner-up to Midnight Lute in the Sprint, and Kentucky Bear, who also rced in the Breeders Cup Day, were both injured over the track in December causing Reade Baker to take his horses and go back east, but not before ripping the track.
When we did run on December 26, two horses, Warren's Renzo and Nascar Johnny were both pulled up a half a mile into the first race of the meet. 'Houston ~ We Have a Problem! ~ Warren's Renzo was pulled up into the first turn, Nascar Johnny a half mile into the race. Warren's Renzo had to be euthanized. Both horses were vanned off. Saturday, it didn't get any better as the stakes winning filly suffered career-ending sesamoid injuries in the stretch run of the La Brea Stakes. Additionally, Mark Bertrando was vanned off after the 6th race. Monday, Dec. 29 Flashing Forward, a four-year-old Outflanker filly, from the Gary Sherlock barn broke down going to the far turn and suffered fatal injuries. She had to be, unfortunately, euthanized. Furthermore, we know of two other horses on the card that came out of the races off, and were awaiting x-rays results. The cautiously optimistic diagnosis was a jammed ankle, or hairline fracture of the pastern.
One disgruntled owner, a knowledgeable and well-involved individual, was bemoaning the fact he lost two good young horses on this track: "one was a stifle,(hind end injury), and the other, remodeling of the bones,'' he said in a perplexed manner.
'Remodeling of the bone', 'sclerosis', I heard those terms before on this track. During Oak Tree, Racingwithbruno turned out a very talented two-year-old, for 90-120 days under the above diagnosis. Additionally, a friend of mine, and partner in a few other horses, turned out his best two-year-old colts, for the same exact injury. "Remodeling' and 'sclerosis'. So, let's understand what those terms mean in English.
The term, bone remodeling, according to Susan M. Stover, DVM, PhD, Dipl ACVS (click here her full article on bone remodeling and clerosis), is often used clinically to refer to changes in shape or size of a bone organ. For example, a bone with a healing fracture is perceived as remodeling when the periosteal bone callus associated with the early stages of repair is disappearing later. Technically, however, bone remodeling is the coupled resorption of existing bone tissue and the formation of new bone tissue in one location.
In other words Dr. Stover is telling us that a traumatic or wear on the bone or joint, from a hard racetrack, for example, is causing joints to remodel to handle the stressed out area and heal the damage.
In lament terms, a hard surface affects, immature joints & bone creating joint damage, possible micro~fractures undetectable even via digital x rays. To respond to the injury in the affected areas the equine body remodels the bones and builds new bone tissue on the areas affected.
"It's too hard,'' said one trainer, who actually gets on his own horses in the morning. "It clumps up under their feet,'' he added. "It seems to be better later in the morning,'' he responded to the question of how different did the track feel from early to mid-morning workout hours. He did want to remain anonymous as he well stated : "I want stalls here in the future".
Speaking from having been clocking at Santa Anita this past December, I found the track, not only to look, but act frozen, especially in the stretch run. You could see patches of frost in the track specifically near the wire and out past the finish line and to the end of the clubhouse before 7:30 am. Why is that significant? Because that is a part of the track that rarely gets sun. Maybe five hours max a day.
Traditionally, the Santa Anita stretch run has always been a source of frustration for track superintendents and management alike. "we have always had a problem with the stretch run being wet and very hard to keep dry,'' said Ron Charles in an interview last year. Former Sup of the main track, Steve Wood, spoke to Racingwithbruno at length over the past ten years of his tenure of the stretch run constantly being 7 to 10 degrees colder and wetter than the rest of the track on a consistent basis.
Therefore, it is easy to speculate that if the temperatures hover around 35 to 40 degrees through the night in Arcadia, the stretch run is more likely to be 25 to 35 degrees, and possibly below freezing. Add the overhang of the clubhouse affecting exposure to the sun and you have a main track that is warmer on the backstretch and far turn, and the stretch run colder, wetter. In essence, two different surfaces.
"It's real good down the backstretch, but when you turn for home it's hard as a rock,'' top jockey Garrett Gomez reported to the owner and trainer after a third place finish aboard their maiden-claimer opening week.
As far as the clocking, I found that works were generic. They weren't transferable from morning to afternoon. If they worked well at Hollywood, they ran well, at Santa Anita it isn't the case time~wise. It's all about the visual manner of the work here at the Great Race Place. The footing being the key.
So what's wrong with Pro-Ride? We made the observation during the Oak Tree meet that horses wearing white wraps in the morning were coming back out of their works with a clean set of bandages. No scuff marks, no soil on the fetlock joint or back of the ankle, but when Curlin and his mate Hawaii Calls worked in between races we saw a different a totally different scenario.
Curlin October 13 at Santa Anita, five furlong work between races:
Worked between races on what seemed to be quite a different track from the morning. Worked from the five furlong pole and was in hand outside workmate, Hawaii Calls, an allowance winner at Oaklawn Park on March 2. Hawaai Calls jock was looking at his watch as they rolled together past the
half mile pole. Curlin was going very easy outside with ears going back and forth. Moved 'Casino Drive-like' at the 1/4 pole, opened up a half length at the 16th pole and drew off near the wire, and then he took off and galloped out even better than he worked. He finished the work officially in 59 flat. He
went out in 112 and looked like he had so much more left through the clubhouse turn. These synthetic tracks promote stamina and the key is the gallop outs. I also watched his white bandages, which are used universally for works and gallops, and they came back evenly soiled on all four fetlock
joints. What does this mean? It means that the track was looser and far more tiring in the afternoon than in the morning as we watched a number of contenders work that morning come back with clear bandages. So, he worked on a totally different track than the competition. Also, the Asmussen camp was not very happy, in fact, apprehensive, about the surface. They had to be happy with what they saw with Curlin.
We made that note in Today's Racing Digest Workout Analysis for October 25 at Santa Anita. We were seeing it then, a firmer than firm in the morning and a loose, good to dead, in turf language, main track in the afternoon. In addition, in the morning and afternoon, horses have not necessarily looked good or even 'pretty' in the lane. It seems that they are struggling, and some look like they are on po-go sticks. Just up and down, which would answer why 'bone remodeling' and 'sclerosis' is being diagnosed by vets on young horses.
I reiterate that this is not word of mouth, but have experienced with my own horses. For example, a notable three-year-old worked over the surface for the second time for a comeback, and came back with pressure in the ankles. X-Rays taken were negative, but again there was evidence of bone remodeling, and rough joints. Concussion damage on this track seems to be very evident in young bones.
We did our due diligence and checked with Pro-Ride's website and we found some interesting facts:
From an overview of PRO-RIDE RACING AUSTRALIA and All-Weather Synthetic Track Surfaces
There are six major elements involved in installing a synthetic racing or training track. When all six elements are addressed fully and in relation to each other the track's installation and performance will be maximized. This list has been supplied by Ian Pearse, the founder and technical expert at Pro Ride Racing says the website.
Analyse the environmental conditions:
No track can be laid for long term success without careful consideration of the natural elements.
The much anticipated Santa Anita winter meet at the Great Race Place was off and running this past Friday, December 26th, and after what many felt was a very successful Oak Tree meet, highlighted by the 2008 Breeders Cup, the big question on everyones mind has been how would the much heralded Pro Ride synthetic surface hold up in the colder weather at the Winter Meet? It did not take long to find out! The meet got off to an auspicious start before even the first race was run. Fatal Bullet, runner-up to Midnight Lute in the Sprint, and Kentucky Bear, who also rced in the Breeders Cup Day, were both injured over the track in December causing Reade Baker to take his horses and go back east, but not before ripping the track.
When we did run on December 26, two horses, Warren's Renzo and Nascar Johnny were both pulled up a half a mile into the first race of the meet. 'Houston ~ We Have a Problem! ~ Warren's Renzo was pulled up into the first turn, Nascar Johnny a half mile into the race. Warren's Renzo had to be euthanized. Both horses were vanned off. Saturday, it didn't get any better as the stakes winning filly suffered career-ending sesamoid injuries in the stretch run of the La Brea Stakes. Additionally, Mark Bertrando was vanned off after the 6th race. Monday, Dec. 29 Flashing Forward, a four-year-old Outflanker filly, from the Gary Sherlock barn broke down going to the far turn and suffered fatal injuries. She had to be, unfortunately, euthanized. Furthermore, we know of two other horses on the card that came out of the races off, and were awaiting x-rays results. The cautiously optimistic diagnosis was a jammed ankle, or hairline fracture of the pastern.
One disgruntled owner, a knowledgeable and well-involved individual, was bemoaning the fact he lost two good young horses on this track: "one was a stifle,(hind end injury), and the other, remodeling of the bones,'' he said in a perplexed manner.
'Remodeling of the bone', 'sclerosis', I heard those terms before on this track. During Oak Tree, Racingwithbruno turned out a very talented two-year-old, for 90-120 days under the above diagnosis. Additionally, a friend of mine, and partner in a few other horses, turned out his best two-year-old colts, for the same exact injury. "Remodeling' and 'sclerosis'. So, let's understand what those terms mean in English.
The term, bone remodeling, according to Susan M. Stover, DVM, PhD, Dipl ACVS (click here her full article on bone remodeling and clerosis), is often used clinically to refer to changes in shape or size of a bone organ. For example, a bone with a healing fracture is perceived as remodeling when the periosteal bone callus associated with the early stages of repair is disappearing later. Technically, however, bone remodeling is the coupled resorption of existing bone tissue and the formation of new bone tissue in one location.
In other words Dr. Stover is telling us that a traumatic or wear on the bone or joint, from a hard racetrack, for example, is causing joints to remodel to handle the stressed out area and heal the damage.
In lament terms, a hard surface affects, immature joints & bone creating joint damage, possible micro~fractures undetectable even via digital x rays. To respond to the injury in the affected areas the equine body remodels the bones and builds new bone tissue on the areas affected.
"It's too hard,'' said one trainer, who actually gets on his own horses in the morning. "It clumps up under their feet,'' he added. "It seems to be better later in the morning,'' he responded to the question of how different did the track feel from early to mid-morning workout hours. He did want to remain anonymous as he well stated : "I want stalls here in the future".
Speaking from having been clocking at Santa Anita this past December, I found the track, not only to look, but act frozen, especially in the stretch run. You could see patches of frost in the track specifically near the wire and out past the finish line and to the end of the clubhouse before 7:30 am. Why is that significant? Because that is a part of the track that rarely gets sun. Maybe five hours max a day.
Traditionally, the Santa Anita stretch run has always been a source of frustration for track superintendents and management alike. "we have always had a problem with the stretch run being wet and very hard to keep dry,'' said Ron Charles in an interview last year. Former Sup of the main track, Steve Wood, spoke to Racingwithbruno at length over the past ten years of his tenure of the stretch run constantly being 7 to 10 degrees colder and wetter than the rest of the track on a consistent basis.
Therefore, it is easy to speculate that if the temperatures hover around 35 to 40 degrees through the night in Arcadia, the stretch run is more likely to be 25 to 35 degrees, and possibly below freezing. Add the overhang of the clubhouse affecting exposure to the sun and you have a main track that is warmer on the backstretch and far turn, and the stretch run colder, wetter. In essence, two different surfaces.
"It's real good down the backstretch, but when you turn for home it's hard as a rock,'' top jockey Garrett Gomez reported to the owner and trainer after a third place finish aboard their maiden-claimer opening week.
As far as the clocking, I found that works were generic. They weren't transferable from morning to afternoon. If they worked well at Hollywood, they ran well, at Santa Anita it isn't the case time~wise. It's all about the visual manner of the work here at the Great Race Place. The footing being the key.
So what's wrong with Pro-Ride? We made the observation during the Oak Tree meet that horses wearing white wraps in the morning were coming back out of their works with a clean set of bandages. No scuff marks, no soil on the fetlock joint or back of the ankle, but when Curlin and his mate Hawaii Calls worked in between races we saw a different a totally different scenario.
Curlin October 13 at Santa Anita, five furlong work between races:
Worked between races on what seemed to be quite a different track from the morning. Worked from the five furlong pole and was in hand outside workmate, Hawaii Calls, an allowance winner at Oaklawn Park on March 2. Hawaai Calls jock was looking at his watch as they rolled together past the
half mile pole. Curlin was going very easy outside with ears going back and forth. Moved 'Casino Drive-like' at the 1/4 pole, opened up a half length at the 16th pole and drew off near the wire, and then he took off and galloped out even better than he worked. He finished the work officially in 59 flat. He
went out in 112 and looked like he had so much more left through the clubhouse turn. These synthetic tracks promote stamina and the key is the gallop outs. I also watched his white bandages, which are used universally for works and gallops, and they came back evenly soiled on all four fetlock
joints. What does this mean? It means that the track was looser and far more tiring in the afternoon than in the morning as we watched a number of contenders work that morning come back with clear bandages. So, he worked on a totally different track than the competition. Also, the Asmussen camp was not very happy, in fact, apprehensive, about the surface. They had to be happy with what they saw with Curlin.
We made that note in Today's Racing Digest Workout Analysis for October 25 at Santa Anita. We were seeing it then, a firmer than firm in the morning and a loose, good to dead, in turf language, main track in the afternoon. In addition, in the morning and afternoon, horses have not necessarily looked good or even 'pretty' in the lane. It seems that they are struggling, and some look like they are on po-go sticks. Just up and down, which would answer why 'bone remodeling' and 'sclerosis' is being diagnosed by vets on young horses.
I reiterate that this is not word of mouth, but have experienced with my own horses. For example, a notable three-year-old worked over the surface for the second time for a comeback, and came back with pressure in the ankles. X-Rays taken were negative, but again there was evidence of bone remodeling, and rough joints. Concussion damage on this track seems to be very evident in young bones.
We did our due diligence and checked with Pro-Ride's website and we found some interesting facts:
From an overview of PRO-RIDE RACING AUSTRALIA and All-Weather Synthetic Track Surfaces
There are six major elements involved in installing a synthetic racing or training track. When all six elements are addressed fully and in relation to each other the track's installation and performance will be maximized. This list has been supplied by Ian Pearse, the founder and technical expert at Pro Ride Racing says the website.
Analyse the environmental conditions:
No track can be laid for long term success without careful consideration of the natural elements.
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