Horse death toll at Del Mar rises to 10

[clockerbob]

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/aug/31/horse-death-toll-del-mar-rises-10-meeting-seven-da/

Have you noticed any forward movement to this problem.
(Horse death toll at Del Mar rises to 10)

So, let's  look at a successful and safe venue(Saratoga).
Maybe Andy Beyer or "ten"
could look into matter.It rains at saratoga too.
How many thoroughbred racers where euthanized at hollywood or Saratoga  this past summer?
Is it all going to end with racing being cancel so an afternoon concert by a group called
"The Dead Horses" can PERFORM.

[Horse Voice]

Have you noticed any forward movement to this problem.
(Horse death toll at Del Mar rises to 10)

Maybe Del Mar should put in some kind of fake track -- that will fix EVERYTHING!!

(Oh...wait. You mean...polytrack DOESN'T fix everything?)

Here's the deal: "Polytrack saves horses" is bullshit, if the track vet is under pressure to look the other way, like they were at AP the year they had all the breakdowns.

When enough of a fuss is made about dead horses at Del Mar, the track vet will tighten things up, and breakdowns / fatals will diminish.

It's no big secret. No one likes to talk about it, that's all.

[CLOCKERTERRY]

Maybe Del Mar should put in some kind of fake track -- that will fix EVERYTHING!!

(Oh...wait. You mean...polytrack DOESN'T fix everything?)

Here's the deal: "Polytrack saves horses" is bullshit, if the track vet is under pressure to look the other way, like they were at AP the year they had all the breakdowns.

This is akin to claiming that because Chicago had a cold winter there's no such thing as global warming.

The evidence on polytrack versus dirt has to be measured across many tracks and many meets and many years, not concluded on the basis of one meet at one track.

[mottoman]

Don't get too excited HV as Terry is right again!

[Horse Voice]

The evidence on polytrack versus dirt has to be measured across many tracks and many meets and many years, not concluded on the basis of one meet at one track.

Of course, but you missed my point: if the track vet is going to allow overly sore horses to race, it won't matter if they race on feathers and marshmallows -- a track will end up with what seems to be an excessive number of breakdowns. There is no doubt in my mind that this is going on at Del Mar this meet.

The last year of the AP dirt track also happened to be the last year that the track vet let any old garbage run in a race there. Then, Polytrack came, and POOF! Everything was "magically delicious" again at AP!

[CLOCKERTERRY]

Of course, but you missed my point: if the track vet is going to allow overly sore horses to race, it won't matter if they race on feathers and marshmallows -- a track will end up with what seems to be an excessive number of breakdowns. There is no doubt in my mind that this is going on at Del Mar this meet.

Gotcha now.

Yes, that probably is the case, somewhat. They are extremely short of horses out there.

The last year of the AP dirt track also happened to be the last year that the track vet let any old garbage run in a race there. Then, Polytrack came, and POOF! Everything was "magically delicious" again at AP!

They're hardly turning down anything the past few years, and the State has even cut back on vets. Shouldn't we have seen a return to the bad old days?

[Horse Voice]

They're hardly turning down anything the past few years, and the State has even cut back on vets. Shouldn't we have seen a return to the bad old days?

Dunno. Hope not, ever.

Different racing secretary at AP, and as much as I hate that damn Polytrack, their field sizes have been very good this year, tempting almost -- at least as compared to the last few years. That guy must hustle his ass off, every day. 

[CLOCKERTERRY]

Various poohbahs are not blaming the racing surface(s):

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/sep/05/consensus-del-mars-turf-course-not-fault-horse-dea/

[The Turf Monster]

From the article, this is the key piece of information imo.  The question's whether the track is properly maintained for training, or whether it's trainers pushing it too far:

but six of them have been during morning works when there are no state veterinarians checking horses.