I can see…CLEARLY NOW! Here is this 2yo beginner winning Wednesday night over the new Polytrack, fibre was added and more to come!
Norm Files photo
WOODBINE POLYTRACK GETS NEW FIBRE and WAX!
If you have been following Woodbine racing in the last week, you know that 19,000 gallons of wax was added to the Polytrack last Wednesday and then 10 tons of fibre was added before Wednesday night’s card and more added on Thursday.
The fibre, very light in colour that gave the track a look as if it had just snowed, was mixed in and harrowed and there is more to come.
It is not easy to find out any actual information on this work since there has not been any stories or releases but there is daily Twitter feed that offers short updates.
Irwin Driedger, Woodbine’s trackman, told Thoroughblog that he is about 1/5th of the way through adding the fibre to the track and the project may or may not be finished before the end of the season.
Driedger explained that over time, horses were getting more into the Polytrack and the “divots were getting bigger”.
“Horses are supposed to run over the top of Polytrack so it needed the wax added to hold it together and more fibre was needed, the old stuff was breaking down,” said Driedger.
The fibre is different than what was originally on the Polytrack, it is less chunky and more uniform, said Driedger.
The Polytrack had jelly cable added in 2007 and oil added a couple of years ago.
Over time, the Polytrack gets darker in colour so, combined with the new fibre, looks a lot different these days.
However Driedger said that horsepeople, fans won’t be able to notice any difference in the way the track acts for at least “2 or 3 months”, if at all.
Today’s card will be 2nd card since the fibre was added Wed. night and yesterday and as long as the weather is calm, the fibre will continue to be spread and mixed into the track.
The results on Wednesday night were very formful and horses seemed to come from everywhere to win, so let’s enjoy the new surface.
Meanwhile, there are almost 20 tracks with Polytrack now:
http://www.hamhigh.co.uk/sport/lingfield_park_take_a_break_to_install_n
ew_2_million_polytrack_1_1525647
BREAKING NEWS – SEA MOON not coming to Woodbine
From Juddmonte:
Regards
Teddy Grimthorpe
THOROUGHBLOG will update the top 10 list shortly – with JOSHUA TREE, FORTE DE MARMI and ALDOUS SNOW currently confirmed.
SNOW FAIRY RUMOURS EXCITING BUT….
Let’s hope Longshamp gets a lot of rain!
http://www.sportinglife.com/racing/news/article/465/8112189/canada
-just-a-precaution-for-snow-fairy
The Newmarket trainer has stressed he is merely keeping all avenues open for his top-class mare.
The Arc at Longchamp on Sunday week, in which she finished third last year, remains the target for the seven-times Group One winner, subject to ground conditions.
“Everything’s fine, we’ll have a weather watch and wait and see,” said Dunlop.
“Every opportunity is there for Snow Fairy. It (the E.P Taylor) is a precaution. It’s not a planned run.
“It’s purely there as an option for her if the ground is very soft (at Longchamp) or whatever.”
WEDNESDAY NIGHT RACING
The highest winning Beyer Figure on Wednesday night was the 69 earned by firster CLEARLY NOW in race 4. The dark bay 2yo colt darted up the rail early in the 7 furlong race for 2yos and led all the way for Uphill Stable and trainer Brian Lynch. The son of Horse Greeley out of bend, by Arch was a $30,000 yearling purchase. That price paled in comparison to the $625,000 ticket that was signed by John Oxley for NORTHERN LION, who finished 3rd with a 60 Beyer. Northern Lion, by Lion Heart, was originally a $25,000 weanling purchase.
Jockeys Patrick Husbands and Justin Stein booked off at different points of the night while a horse had to be scratched in race 7 due to no riders being available (according to DRF).
In the last race, the 3 to 5 favourite WHISPERING WALL was pulled up when she reportedly took hold of the outside rein and bolted to the outside fence.
Fundraiser for the Horses!
Oct. 15 – get a haircut, have some fun
CANADIAN BRED MARKETING MIX IN CALIFORNIA:
$250,000 Rodeo Drive Stakes (gr. I, Race 9, 5:08 p.m.), Fillies & Mares 3 & Up, 1 1/4 Miles (Turf)
PP. Horse, Jockey, Weight, Trainer
1. Go Forth North (KY), D R Flores, 119, A C Avila
2. Let’s Go Cheyenne (KY), R Bejarano, 119, V Cerin
3. Stormy Lucy (KY), M A Pedroza, 116, F Lucarelli
4. Left a Message (KY), B Blanc, 116, T F Proctor
5. My Gi Gi (KY), V Espinoza, 116, P Eurton
6. Cambina (IRE), M Garcia, 119, J Bonde
7. Camelia Rose (FR), M Gutierrez, 119, S Callaghan
8. Thisismystage (KY), E A Maldonado, 119, C Dollase
9. Vivo Per Lei (KY), A Quinonez, 119, T F Proctor
10. I Dazzle (LA), P A Valenzuela, 119, J C Van Berg
11. Marketing Mix (ON), G K Gomez, 121, T F Proctor
12. City to City (KY), J Talamo, 121, J Hollendorfer
13. Nereid (KY), R Napravnik, 119, J A Shirreffs
Blinkers Off: Nereid
RACING OFFICIALS GET BLAMED FOR NY HORSE DEATHS:
More than half of the 21 racehorses who had fatal breakdowns at Aqueduct Racetrack earlier this year might have been saved had racing authorities more closely monitored their health and the liberal use of prescription drugs to keep them racing, according to an investigation ordered by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo of New York. ..
read more:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/28/sports/aqueduct-racing-officials-faulted-in-horse-deaths.html?_r=0
