why do so many horses warm up on the grass at Scioto Downs?

[arniesarmy]

You see that every now and then at other tracks but every race at Scioto there is at least one horse in the infield grass.

[rainman2]

You see that every now and then at other tracks but every race at Scioto there is at least one horse in the infield grass.

Scioto has always been a very [hard] fast track!

Easier on the feet??

[arniesarmy]

Widger seems to do it a lot. Of course, he ran a 1-9 shot out of the money, so there's that.

[Kole Hanover]

 Alot of horses love going on the grass prior to racing, it seems to help their feet & if they enjoy it & race well after- I'd do it every time.

[Checked Up]

The infield is also the closest to a level surface inside the ropes! I feel that the soft level surface is a good way to alleviate the skeletol stress caused by going slow on the banking variations.

[JT]

The infield used to have ponds in it if memory serves

[Kole Hanover]

The infield used to have ponds in it if memory serves

 There's been some bad accidents involving ponds in the center field.

 Horses can swim well but when weighed down with bike/equip- it can be devastating.

[SDST2009]

It's also advantageous for a horse that gets worked up before the race. Calms them, probably just being off the actual track.

[JT]

The infield used to have ponds in it if memory serves

So I looked it up, I remembered correctly
Not to many fermented hops, bong resin and paint fumes
A horse fell into it a handful of years ago
Horse and driver OK
Back to the original question.. my 2 cents, easier on the hooves pre race
It gets hot in the summer, grass nice and cool
Rainman2 correct very fast track since they redid it, some even said not quite a mile
It was fast even back in the day
Agree with SDST2009 as well.. always good takes

[SDST2009]

There's been some bad accidents involving ponds in the center field.

 Horses can swim well but when weighed down with bike/equip- it can be devastating.

 I recall a couple cases like this in (fairly) recent memory.

I think one of them did end up passing away - not sure if it was still in the lake or thereafter.

Virgil the model husband had a young trotter end up in the lake at Northfield maybe..5-8 years ago that was retrieved and went on to race thereafter.

As you say, left to their own devices a horse will do fine in the water, but while harnessed and hooked, it is a bad scene.

[SDST2009]

So I looked it up, I remembered correctly
Not to many fermented hops, bong resin and paint fumes
A horse fell into it a handful of years ago
Horse and driver OK
Back to the original question.. my 2 cents, easier on the hooves pre race
It gets hot in the summer, grass nice and cool
Rainman2 correct very fast track since they redid it, some even said not quite a mile
It was fast even back in the day
Agree with SDST2009 as well.. always good takes

Hey thanks, JT

[Bitter Truth]

Whoa!! fillies and mares MID level . 26.0  53.1   120.0  1.47.3 and its cool out here [low 60's]
What I do think was cool was the two top horses were driven by one each of two sets of brothers.
Trevor Smith [brother Tyler] + Austin Hanners [brother Luke] All four solid fairly reliable drivers.
Followed Tyler all his life. He was a young Phenom. Even announcing on a number of occasions. Saw
him become the youngest driver to break 2 minutes as a driver. I believe he was 12.

[John Moody]

It's because the grass on the hooves makes the drug tests negative

[Sweet]

It's because the grass on the hooves makes the drug tests negative

  More comedy relief, what ya know 

[JT]

Hey thanks, JT

No need to thank me, you got good takes, some people on here do most don't
I won't name names