The Maryland Jockey Club race track maintenance team added some clay to portions of Laurel Park’s ground surface — mainly from the half-mile pole to the 1/8th pole — to make the composition consistent with the rest of the race. surface towards cold weather months.
MJC Track director Chris Bosley says the goal is to have 2% clay content on the surface. But based on the test results, the area in question has a clay content of 1% to 1.5%, he said.
“The Laurel Park Surface is on the right track,” Bosley said. “We focused on that area because the clay ratio was a bit too low and we wanted it to match the rest of the track. After the Maryland Million (on October 22), we’ll start sanding. clean down to cool the track, and we’ll do it slowly. We’ll make sure to notify the horsemen of the date we start it.”
Bosley notes that the clay being added is a very sandy clay similar to the clay used at the New York Racing Association tracks. It’s more sand than clay, he says, but more clay than silt – those are the three materials that make up the surface of dirt. Sand is added to help combat freeze-thaw conditions during the winter months.
“The surface has definitely improved a lot compared to this time last year,” says Bosley. “The mattress is much better than before and is achieving structural integrity, but we still test it daily.”
Logan Freeman, who oversees the pitches for the MJC, provided an update to the Maryland Thoroughbred Riders Association Board of Directors during its September 29 meeting.
“We have a super strong team right now – they are very dedicated,” he said. “The drainage system at Laurel is still not 100% improved but we are learning what the problem is and how to fix it.”
The turf team continued to fertilize, aerate and clean the field as the race moved to the Maryland State Fair at Timonium and Pimlico Raceway for about six weeks. The grass’s root structure is continuing to improve, Freeman said, and the grass team, MJC officials and chariot riders will regularly discuss the condition of the course through the fall meeting.
“If (the surface) is safe, we will race on it,” he said.
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