Posted by Terry Bjork I had printed out a set of TrackMaster pp's, as that is about the only online source for little track pp's. When I got to the track I also bought a track program, created by the TruForm program which uses the same Equibase data as TrackMaster as its starting point. Comparing and contrasting the two, I noticed two interesting things. First, the pp speed numbers presented for the horses were the same as long as the race had taken place at a larger venue like Turf Paradise, but when it came to past races at Rillito itself, or maybe some of the AZ fairs, they differed wildly, with the TrackMaster numbers being generally lower. Second, I noticed at least one horse in the program had two races that TrackMaster did not list. I inquired of the Equibase folks as to how these discrepancies came to be, and learned the following: First, the tracks, when they compose their programs using TruForm, can apparently change or substitute data. Somehow, somewhere, someone at Rillito must have subbed in some home-grown speed numbers into the program. Second, the missing races (from Blackfoot) were "unrecognized" races, and thus did not make the TrackMaster pp's. Just some things to keep in mind when you are 'capping the races at these. Tragically neither set of numbers did me much good as I lost $52 on the day. There was a big crowd on hand, but they weren't betting much. The subdivision development around the track is closing in quite closely and the whole driveway leading into the track is packed with new business buildings. With the defeat of the slots for Arizona tracks last year, and all the cuts in racing's budget that the new governor wants to make, I'd bet it isn't too many years before that land is far more valuable to the city of Tucson to sell than it is to keep racing. Might want to visit this one while you still can.
on 2/28/2003, 12:22 pm
65.42.84.27
Last Saturday McChump #2 and I paid a visit to historic Rillito Park, which is now billing itself as "America's Track". 2003 is its 60th anniversary, and there were some groovy t-shirts on sale commemorating it.
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