Horse Racing Commentary: Second Note to Trainer Bruce Headly – Oh, and Switch Arson Squad Over to the Dirt While You're at it

July 24, 2008

As noted in the Freehouse Handicap for today’s 7th race at Del Mar Race Track, Arson Squad has been running and continues to run over synthetic surfaces which he doesn’t seem to like, for which reason we stood against him today (although the winner was overlooked to be fair).

Even track announcer Trevor Denman noted that Arson Squad was having to be ridden along a bit as they traveled midway down the backstretch. He managed only 7th place.

Regardless of whether or not Arson Squad is the same horse he was when he won the Swaps in 2006 and Strub Stakes in 2007, one thing that doesn’t seem to change regardless of form is a horses like or dislike of particular racing surfaces. Going back to 2006, it is noted that he won the Swaps with a 104 Beyer Speed Figure finishing 9 lengths in front of A.P. Warrior. In the very next race, the La Jolla, A.P. Warrior turns the tables on Arson Squad, winning that race, and beating him by 2 ¾ lengths, which is a net difference of 11 ¾ lengths. Arson Squad received an 87 Beyer for the La Jolla.

He was switched back to the main dirt for his next race and received a 104 Beyer Speed Figure, which is the same number he was assigned for the Swaps victory. That La Jolla performance and his subsequent improved figure should have signaled to the connections that this is not a turf horse.

Some horses are remarkable in that they seem to be able to handle virtually any type of surface, dirt, turf, sloppy, sealed, etc. Arson Squad does not appear to be this type, and based on his last six performances on synthetic, is it not reasonable to think that polytrack may be one of those surfaces over which he may not like particularly well? Turf horses translate their form to synthetic surfaces better than to dirt no doubt because the former is more similar to the turf than the latter.

Unless his decline in form just happened to coincide with his first start over they polytrack in the San Diego Handicap last year, this horse has a lot of potential left in him. All of his synthetic track starts have come in graded stakes (excepting today’s race), so trainer Bruce Headly must feel that he still has the stuff to be a graded stakes caliber horse. He can be, but don’t take away his advantage – dirt. This game is tough enough as it is.
Arson Squad ends drought in Meadowlands Cup