Wednesday, April 22, 1998 | 8:15 a.m.
When the 1998 spring/summer Hollywood Park meet opens its 67-day, 13-week stand on Friday with a night program starting at 7, it will mark a new era for track surfaces in southland racing.
Responding to what track officials termed an industry-wide goal of developing a consistent and kinder track of the future, Hollywood Park has installed a brand-new racing surface on its 1 1/8-mile dirt oval.
The surface is much sandier than previously and includes binding materials to complement a lower content of silt and clay. The new material added included 5,000 tons of sand, 65,000 pounds of organic Sports Grids and 35,000 pounds of stabilizers with 2 billion fibers that will produce a much kinder surface for horses that won't wear them down in the long run. Two and a half inches from the previous top layer has been removed to make way for the new material, and track superintendent Dennis Moore says that will keep the track from balling up without clogs.
When asked by a call-in listener of Tuesday's Race Talk Las Vegas radio show on KRLV 1340-AM about any track bias, Moore replied, "The new track should play very fair to all types of runners." When reminded of the "deadly dead rail bias" that prevailed the past two spring/summer meets, he responded by adding, "There will be no bias on the inside or outside of the new track," that there will be "an even surface throughout." This came as good news to handicappers who will soon make selections for opening night.
Moore concluded by attributing the fact this new surface will take six times the amount of water as the old track, that will reduce the need to rip and till in dry weather and reduce the need to seal in wet weather, as the main factor for even racing.
We can only hope that a kinder race track will produce kinder results for race players at the Inglewood oval this season. The race-week schedule is Wednesday through Sunday with special Monday racing on May 11, Memorial Day May 25, June 8 and closing-day Monday July 20. The only exception to the Friday-night cards will be on May 1 to allow for the following early Kentucky Derby Day Saturday racing program.
Six Grade I events -- including the meet's premier showcase $1 million Hollywood Gold Cup on June 28 -- will highlight a $7.7 million stakes schedule.
Most of the Southern California jockey and trainer colony will be on hand for the session, with Santa Anita leaders Bob Baffert heading the trainers and Kent Desormeaux leading the riders. Desormeaux, who had a five-bagger on closing day Monday at Santa Anita, will try for his third consecutive jockey title during the meet.
Kentucky Derby workouts: Five Derby hopefuls went to the track at Churchill Downs (home of the Derby) for workouts on Tuesday. They include reigning Horse of the Year Favorite Trick, who went five furlongs in 1:01:3; Louisiana Derby winner Comic Strip, a mile in 1:42:1; Flamingo Stakes winner Chilito, at six furlongs in 1:17:3; Arkansas Derby runner-up Hanuman Highway, four furlongs in :48:1; and Team Lukas' Yarrow Brae, four furlongs in :48:4. There were a pair of Derby defections on Tuesday as well: Lexington Stakes runner-up Voyamerican and European Saratoga Springs will miss the RUn for the Roses the first Saturday in May.
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