With Keeneland’s Fall meet beginning next week, this is the perfect time to brush up on how to figure out the synthetic surfaces:
Night School, the racing industry’s national online fan education program, addresses synthetic surfaces from a handicapping perspective in TONIGHT’S 90-minute, interactive session, which will kick off at 8:30 p.m. (ET).
Thoroughbred racing’s “third” surface has changed the handicapping landscape at many tracks over the past few years. With prominent Polytrack meetings currently in play at Woodbine, Turfway Park and Arlington-and another on the horizon with the upcoming fall meet at Keeneland-the lesson plan this week will equip horseplayers with angles that have proven to be successful on the synthetics.
This week’s hosts will be program founders Joe Kristufek and Jeremy Plonk-two visible handicappers at Arlington and Keeneland, respectively-as well as frequent Night School instructor Caton Bredar.
Horse Player NOW handicappers Brian W. Spencer and James Dickson will join Kristufek on video for a roundtable discussion of synthetic surface handicapping as well. Dickson specializes in the synthetic surfaces on the West Coast at Del Mar and Hollywood Park. Those who attend Night School through the live or archived sessions this week will be able to download a free list of Synthetic Sires to Watch from Kristufek. The link will be provided within the Night School chat.
Meanwhile, the Night School Tour will kick off a fall series of appearances this Saturday when the traveling troupe of fan educators conducts live seminars all day at the Racing 101 tent at Santa Anita Park, presented by America’s Best Racing.
Meet Joe Kristufek, Jill Byrne, Tim Brannan and Brandi Goode on Breeders’ Cup preview day at Santa Anita this weekend. The Night School Tour will be on two fronts the following week, including a three-day stop at Keeneland for another Racing 101 Tent, presented by America’s Best Racing, on Oct. 5, 6 and 7. Also next weekend, the Tour hits Laurel Park for the Oct. 6 Maryland Million day program with Jeremy Plonk and Brian Nadeau.
Tuesday’s session will be the 34th of 40 Night School lesson plans throughout the 2012 season, which continues through November.
Alicia Wincze Hughes is the turf writer for the Lexington Herald-Leader. She started riding at age 8 and was a four-year member of the Pace University equestrian team.
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