If Curlin skips this year, does the BC have to start thinking about not scheduling poly tracks in the rotation?

Would be a huge blow to California.

They shouldn't schedule any artificial venues whatsoever. If they want they can further water down the program by creating a handful of Poly-Cup races to happen the Sunday after the real BC. Everything gets thrown out of whack with the inclusion of the fake surfaces. For turf races washed on the grass the graded is automatically taken down a notch, there needs to be similar scrutiny for 'graded' races won over the fake stuff.

-BB

Has a reason ever been given for awarding the BC to Santa Anita in both '08 and '09? If so, I missed it. One of the hastiest and dumbest decisions ever made by the BC Committee, imho.

Churchill was demanding too much of the pie, NYRA was in bankrotcy with an uncertain future and they didn't want to return to a small venue so soon after Monmouth.

Did the BC people solicit Woodbine? Always wondered why they never had it back there. Of course, you still have poly there, but the Turf course is highly regarded.

Hey George,
A couple buddies of mine made that trip and it was a logical nightmare with betting, parking, concessions ........ I also recall reading the same horror stories in the DRF and I believe Lone Star shared the same dilema. Have to agree w/ Parisbob awarding BC to same venue for back to back years does not make much sense. I am looking forward to the BC and hopefully we have decent size fields, even with more races. I'm not thrilled with the artificial surfaces in racing, but this last DelMar meet has cushioned my distain. Hope all is well - Greg

Lots of problems up in Canada GAM, not the least of which Greg mentions. For me, when they loaded 6 or 7 of the Sprint runners in the wrong gate positions I swore it wouldn't bother me if they ever returned there. While I gave out the tribox for 2K, my top pick was Paying Dues and at 30-1 he was mistreated the most by their mistake and while narrowly beaten, it likely cost my readers another 2K. With Paying Dues just wide enough into the stretch, Lit de Justice was able to split horses and get up in the shadow of the wire. The only good news was that my OTB parlor felt that since the money was won in Canada, they decided not to treat it as an IRS ticket. Can't imagine they were correct but I wasn't about to argue. Agree with Greg in that I hope for some full fields despite the poly.

LL