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Old 03-31-2010, 05:26 PM   #9
For The Lead
Grade 1
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 1,292
Quote:
Originally Posted by barb craven View Post
I noticed your purse value index FTL and had to chuckle at the difference between the two charts. Of course I am biased towards Woodbine and am glad it's re-opening this weekend.
The two charts offer very different opinons as I pointed out using Woodbine, but there are others and it makes it real hard for someone who is just getting into the game.

Charlie D was kind enough to point out that the"major" tracks are those that host the top level graded races. Well, last I heard the "Preakness" was a pretty top level graded race, and yet, Pimlico is only rated a "7". Hhhmmm.

Now the best part is, when you look at the purse value index chart FROM the Daily Racing Form, Pimilco is "29". Look around at some of the other tracks that are higher than that and in some cases MUCH HIGHER and yet on the other chart they rank as a "4". Confusing??

So is Pimlico a "major" or "minor" track?

Here's another good one. "Fairplex", is rated a "7", equal to Pimlico. "FAIRPLEX!" A "fair track"! Another bull ring! They run for a couple of weeks a year when Santa Anita, Hollywood and DelMar are closed! This year their racing dates are September 12 to September 28!! They are part of the "California Fair Circuit"! Exactly what race do they run there that compares to the"Preakness"? And yet they rank as "7" on the track equalization chart and have a "41" on the purse value index chart.

Is this to say that "Fairplex" is on a par with Pimlico where the Preakness is run every year?

Or is this to say that like every other track in California, their stats are inflated?

These are just a couple of examples. There are many more if you go look for them.

So Bill P, if you are reading this post, here is my suggestion as before, do more than just look at either of these charts, because there is more to it than that.

Let's take Aqueduct as an example. The purse value index show it as "46",but the track equalization chart shows it as either a "10" or a "7" (for the inner track). Now the inner track is what they run on during the winter months. This also corresponds with the the time of the year when the larger stables with the better horses all go south for the winter.The reason for this? Many of those stables have horses that prefer turf racing and there is turf racing in Florida, so that is where they go. Not only that, but if those stables have aspiring 3 year olds, then Florida is the place to be. So what "class" of stock is left to race at Aqueduct in the winter? The bottom of the barrel. They are running $7,500 claiming races for "non winners of two lifetime"! Many of these horses probably couldn't beat the same class of horses at Penn National or Mountaineer. So is Aqueduct in the winter really a "7"?

So what I am telling you is to make sure you evaluate ALL THE INFORMATION about a track before YOU DECIDE if it is a "major" or "minor" track, rather than rely on a chart.
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