It's always a tragedy when something like this happens. But I believe there are many tracks switching their surfaces over to Polytrack to help prevent injuries. Del Mar uses it.

The Polytrack all-weather track is a patented synthetic surface for racetracks. Polytrack has a high shock absorption rate, and a low elasticity repulsion rate. According to The Guardian, trainers, owners, jockeys and racecourse managers agree that it is the best of its kind. It was invented by Englishman Martin Collins of Martin Collins Enterprises Ltd.

Polytrack has the texture of natural dirt but is lighter in color. It is a mixture of sand, synthetic fibers and recycled rubber coated with a “microcrystalline wax” and mixed on-site, according to the manufacturer.

Polytrack makes up the top six inches of the racing surface, and requires an extensive drainage system before it is applied. The existing dirt surface is removed first, and a system of pipes is installed. Crushed rock comes next, then a layer of porous macadam, followed by the synthetic.

A dirt track must be graded by a tractor-drawn harrow – an agricultural device with discs for breaking up and leveling ground – followed by a water truck after morning workouts and before every race. Polytrack, however, is less demanding, and needs to be "evened out" only two or three times a day. Tracks utilizing Polytrack are always considered to be "fast" regardless of weather conditions.

That's an excellent explanatory pic, Misfit. Thanks!!! I'm saving a copy of that.


There's no question that Polytrack is the track of the moment. One by one, all the major tracks are switching to Polytrack. Whether it proves to be safer only time will tell. It should in theory and certainly it's been hyped to sell, but it hasn't been around long enough to prove its worth (the first American Polytrack was laid about 3 years ago).

But The Guardian really overstates its popularity. It's really quite Unpopular among trainers, owners and bettors. The reason for that is that big money is spent on racehorses and the history of their bloodlines (the Dame, the Sire, and their families going way back) is a big part of breeding and racing horses..and betting on them, of course.

Polytrack throws out the whole huge history of data that's been compiled on racehorses. That's because you just cannot tell how a horse would do (or ancestor would have done) on a Polytrack surface. There's just no real correlation between the traditional dirt or turf tracks and Polytrack. You can't tell how a horse great/terrible on one will do on Poly. So the handicappers and bettors hate it too; it makes it just so much harder to know that the huge databases incorporated into something like DRF (the Daily Racing Form) is going to help you in handicapping anymore, or not. About the only thing you can judge by it is that a horse that does great on a sloppy dirt track (ie muddy) won't do all that well on Polytrack.

That's why it's taken so long for this current trend to Polytrack to catch on. It's finally won out though...just like Diet Coke. :]]

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Hi Beets,
This thread is like a third home....
After my house and Starbucks of course.....

Seriously.... Great thread Beethoven... Keep It up!!!!!...... And as I said before, please let me give my condolences to you about your loss....

Best Regards,
Luke.

(P.S. Does anybody here watch House MD?)

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- Luke.

Hi Beets,
This thread is like a third home....
After my house and Starbucks of course.....

Seriously.... Great thread Beethoven... Keep It up!!!!!...... And as I said before, please let me give my condolences to you about your loss....

Best Regards,
Luke.

(P.S. Does anybody here watch House MD?)

Like a third home to you? Awww, that's so nice! Thanks, Luke!!! :]]

And for your condolences, thank you very much Dear Friend. It is deeply appreciated. I just feel so sorry for Joel, he died of Jacob-Kreutzfeldt disease. Mad Cow disease in Canada?! I didn't even think you could die of that here, we "don't have" any Mad Cows! Anyway, it took him down young, you know?

*sigh* People (and things) have their fate, I guess.

But let me shrug off this mantle of sad and tell you your Math Problems thread is really coming along nicely.

Well Done!!!


Beets

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Hi Beets,
This thread is like a third home....
After my house and Starbucks of course.....

Seriously.... Great thread Beethoven... Keep It up!!!!!...... And as I said before, please let me give my condolences to you about your loss....

Best Regards,
Luke.

(P.S. Does anybody here watch House MD?)

I love House! It is currently one of my favorite shows.

---

Hi Beets,
This thread is like a third home....
After my house and Starbucks of course.....

Seriously.... Great thread Beethoven... Keep It up!!!!!...... And as I said before, please let me give my condolences to you about your loss....

Best Regards,
Luke.

(P.S. Does anybody here watch House MD?)

I love House! It is currently one of my favorite shows.

I'm glad you're enjoying that, Albert and Luke. :]]

I don't watch medical shows and you know what? I haven't had a cold in fourteen years! LOL

---

Hi Beets,
This thread is like a third home....
After my house and Starbucks of course.....

Seriously.... Great thread Beethoven... Keep It up!!!!!...... And as I said before, please let me give my condolences to you about your loss....

Best Regards,
Luke.

(P.S. Does anybody here watch House MD?)

I love House! It is currently one of my favorite shows.

I'm glad you're enjoying that, Albert and Luke. :]]

I don't watch medical shows and you know what? I haven't had a cold in fourteen years! LOL

You really should watch it. It's not a medical show per say, it's a medical drama. Great show.
P.S. What is your secret to staying healthy? I get sick so many times a year I can't even begin to count the number of times I;m sick! In fact I have a cold at this very moment.

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* peeks into the room to make sure there are no souls that need Reaping *

Waves and strolls back out again

---

Air Cold, the blade stops;
from silent stone,
Death is preordained

Calm Chaos Forums : Everyone Welcome

* peeks into the room to make sure there are no souls that need Reaping *

Waves and strolls back out again

---

Reality Internet Personality

Hi Beets,
This thread is like a third home....
After my house and Starbucks of course.....

Seriously.... Great thread Beethoven... Keep It up!!!!!...... And as I said before, please let me give my condolences to you about your loss....

Best Regards,
Luke.

(P.S. Does anybody here watch House MD?)

I love House! It is currently one of my favorite shows.

Ah yes.... Good old House.... Apparently in North America, the start-up is the song "Teardrop"... Everywhere else there is a different tune called "House" I prefer "House" to "Teardrop" myself....

Our start-up music in all its glory (we've had both).... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdZCq8uEpF0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkmoPAl2KRU

Also, just to add - they are slightly different - even though it says UK and German.... we've (New Zealand) had both.... Top one airing in Season 1 & 3, bottom one airing in Season 2 & 4....

@Beets.... thanks for your compliments on my maths thread... but it seems that it may be starting to fade away into the realms of page two....

Best Regards,
Luke.

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- Luke.

Daredevils by the bay

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me@rescam.org

Daredevils by the bay

That's exciting stuff! One of the reasons I quit flying lessons (there were many) is that I was surprized to find that you don't usually feel any sense of speed at all at usual flying altitudes. It's like hanging in the air with the scene below very slowly scrolling by. Dull! Not that I don't respect people who've stuck with it and bought their own planes use them..like Domi. It's a fine thing to do. But I myself love the feeling and fast reflexes of racing a car more than small plane flying.

Did you catch the race yourself? I'd try and go if I lived there. :]]

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Hi Es! Hi Tim!

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Hey Luke!!!

I kind of like the Spanish theme music version of the House. Have you heard it?

Dottore House - Espanol

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Hey Luke!!!

I kind of like the Spanish theme music version of the House. Have you heard it?

Dottore House - Espanol

Hi Beets!
One of my two links has the same background theme in it.... Except for the bit where the narrator says "House". I always loved that one! Nice find.... what a shame I can't read spanish...

Cya' tomorrow,
Beets!

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- Luke.

* peeks into the room to make sure there are no souls that need Reaping *

Waves and strolls back out again

Does that really surprise you Es??? lol

---

Air Cold, the blade stops;
from silent stone,
Death is preordained

Calm Chaos Forums : Everyone Welcome

Hi Tim!

Howdy Beets.

I saw that it's been a while since I visited and decided to make sure the decadence didn't get out of hand in here...lol

---

Air Cold, the blade stops;
from silent stone,
Death is preordained

Calm Chaos Forums : Everyone Welcome

Hi Tim!

Howdy Beets.

I saw that it's been a while since I visited and decided to make sure the decadence didn't get out of hand in here...lol

Wow Tim!!! After missing your famous avatar for so long, here you are posting...TWICE!

deca = 10 times

dence = coincidence

Your posting twice-in-a-row is quite the decadence!

Do you think it's a conspiracy?


I'll have to return the favor and come visit you on your thread. :]]

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Hello Beets. What's up?

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Hello Beets. What's up?

I screwed up today, I slept most of the afternoon away. *sigh*

I'm going out soon to pick up some deli I ordered in the morning.


I hope you had a good day, though. :]]

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Hello Beets. What's up?

I screwed up today, I slept most of the afternoon away. *sigh*

I'm going out soon to pick up some deli I ordered in the morning.


I hope you had a good day, though. :]]

I sure wish I could sleep in, but [sighs] I can't because I have to get up in the morning for school. All in all I had a good day though.

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