With all this business about how horses and greyhounds haven't gotten faster in 30 years it got me wondering why they still run them on dirt tracks. Surely they'd be faster on a synthetic track, right? Maybe they wouldn't do as well on a synthetic track tuned to human leg stiffness, but Mondo could just as well make a special doggy track, couldn't they? Now I don't know the first thing about dog or horse racing so maybe I'm wrong. What do you think?
Why don't horses and greyhounds run on synthetic tracks?
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Synthetic horse tracks have been around since the mid 1960s Tartan Turf I believe was the 3M brand name'
DK/NS about the hounds -
They don't care much about records/times in horse racing I would think. Secretariat still has the fastest Kentucky Derby winning time, set in 1972. If they replaced it with a synthetic track and beat the "record," wouldn't that be kind of cheap?
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Synthetic and hard surfaces would probably break every horses legs. Horses are extremely fragile.
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Horses and dogs tend to poop anywhere they please. Much easier to clean up in dirt.
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Breathe in breathe out wrote:
They don't care much about records/times in horse racing I would think. Secretariat still has the fastest Kentucky Derby winning time, set in 1972. If they replaced it with a synthetic track and beat the "record," wouldn't that be kind of cheap?
Don't they water tracks more now for horse safety and that's partly why the record was not broken. That said it would be hard to beat this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cS4f6wiQJh4
It's crazy that that all the big races are for 3 year olds its like having an Olympics for only 21 years olds. Secretariat did not produce great foals and everyone missed out on seeing him at his peak of 4 or 5
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTC5yrGX39k -
ukathleticscoach wrote:
Breathe in breathe out wrote:
They don't care much about records/times in horse racing I would think. Secretariat still has the fastest Kentucky Derby winning time, set in 1972. If they replaced it with a synthetic track and beat the "record," wouldn't that be kind of cheap?
Don't they water tracks more now for horse safety and that's partly why the record was not broken. That said it would be hard to beat this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cS4f6wiQJh4
Secretariat went out way too fast. Evened out splits indicate 2:22 high for sure. -
[quote]ukathleticscoach wrote:
Secretariat did not produce great foals and everyone missed out on seeing him at his peak of 4 or 5
[quote]
Many tracks are synthetic "dirt" now.
A track needs to be maintained so it can't be a surface that would wear.
A horse would destroy a hard synthetic surface. The surface needs to be able to be repaired via harrowing or grass regrowth.
Secretariat produced some great foals. Risen Star, Lady's Secret (horse of the year) as well as the fastest 2 miler ever in Kingston Rule.
He was certainly not likely to exceed himself but he is actually leaving his mark on the breed. -
Polly Track wrote:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synthetic_racetrack_surfaces_for_horse_racing#Polytrack
What are those surfaces like to run on? -
Curious about tracks wrote:
Polly Track wrote:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synthetic_racetrack_surfaces_for_horse_racing#Polytrack
What are those surfaces like to run on?
I am not a horse. -
Secretariat produced some great foals. Risen Star, Lady's Secret (horse of the year) as well as the fastest 2 miler ever in Kingston Rule.
He was certainly not likely to exceed himself but he is actually leaving his mark on the breed.[/quote]
I stand corrected, but still not enough to warrant retiring a horse early and before its peak. Over here they seem more worried about them getting beat than anything. Its so much more enjoyable watching jump horses over the years although Frankel at least went to 4 -
ukathleticscoach wrote:
Secretariat produced some great foals. Risen Star, Lady's Secret (horse of the year) as well as the fastest 2 miler ever in Kingston Rule.
He was certainly not likely to exceed himself but he is actually leaving his mark on the breed.
I stand corrected, but still not enough to warrant retiring a horse early and before its peak. Over here they seem more worried about them getting beat than anything. Its so much more enjoyable watching jump horses over the years although Frankel at least went to 4[/quote]
Yes it is. Money. Secretariat won close to 1.5 million. He was syndicated at the end of the yea for I think 16 million and there was no way insurance would cover him running for more years.
A great horse is worth far more at stud. Going out on top preserves value.
An owner has to really think about letting their horse plummet in value if it starts losing. -
Yes it is. Money. Secretariat won close to 1.5 million. He was syndicated at the end of the yea for I think 16 million and there was no way insurance would cover him running for more years.
A great horse is worth far more at stud. Going out on top preserves value.
An owner has to really think about letting their horse plummet in value if it starts losing.[/quote]
I know that but its not good for the sport and they would get a lot more interest and hencemoney going into the sporrt if the same horses competed for more than a year. I think a lot of it is also the gambling industry its hard to tell which will be the best 3 year olds, at four you would have more of an idea. Even if a horse is odds on the bookies hate it when a favourite wins -
The thoroughbred racing industry does not have a problem with money or exposure. They have the TVG network. Thoroughbred racing is 99% about breeding. That's why times have not gotten faster.
The Bluegrass region of Kentucky is one of the most beautiful areas in the country.
Alan -
Does jump racing have more money going through it because the same horses compete for years ?
You're probably over-looking the fact that quite a few top horses actually do compete for longer.
Your view is skewed by the few brilliant horses that stop at 3. -
Gary Oldman wrote:
Does jump racing have more money going through it because the same horses compete for years ?
You're probably over-looking the fact that quite a few top horses actually do compete for longer.
Your view is skewed by the few brilliant horses that stop at 3.
Good point as the prize money is usually less for jump racing. I still think flat racing interest would increase if they carried on longer. For anyone who is interested in racing it makes more sense. Plus the fact you mentioned the times are not improving also show the breeding is a crock.
All the top European mile type horses retired last year at 3 and it's really disappointing. I'm only interested in the best races, betting on handicaps and lower tier racing is a mugs game -
The breeding is important to maintain the highest level. Very important.
I can only speak for American style racing but look how long Zenyatta raced.
It actually doesn't change much unless a horse like that races much more often.
You would need to see a horse campaign like an iron horse to really draw interest.
People lose interest if even the greatest champion only races twice a year or so.
The last two geldings that won the Derby here had high expectations for lengthy careers and they both fizzled despite the best intentions of turning them into the next John Henry. -
Curious about tracks wrote:
Polly Track wrote:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synthetic_racetrack_surfaces_for_horse_racing#Polytrack
What are those surfaces like to run on?
I used to run on a dirt horse track in high school, and am curious about this too.
Has anyone here who's not a horse run on one of the new poly horse tracks, and if so, how was it to run on? -
Breathe in breathe out wrote:
Secretariat still has the fastest Kentucky Derby winning time, set in 1972. If they replaced it with a synthetic track and beat the "record," wouldn't that be kind of cheap?
They would just record it as a synthetic track record. Turf records are already more than 1 second faster than dirt at almost all distances.
