Racing surfaces are graded based on how much moisture is on the track. There are four levels of moisture for both dirt and turf.
For the dirt track, the condition can be fast, meaning the track is dry; good, where the track has some residual moisture in it; muddy, when the track is deep and slow due to rainy conditions; or sloppy, where the base of the track is firm due to the track being sealed, and the surface is slippery and wet. The ratings for the turf are similar: firm, good, yielding, or soft.
All weather surfaces, including Polytrack, only have two grades: fast and wet fast. It takes quite a bit of rain to change an all weather surface to wet fast. Synthetic surfaces are in place at every California racetrack.
Most horses have preferences for the kind of surface on which they race. A horse that prefers wet, rainy conditions is called a “mudder.” The horse’s record on an “off” track is displayed in the past performances. Some horses will deliver sub-par performance on a wet surface which can heavy or slippery to the horse. This can substantially change the outcome of the race, so make sure to check the horse’s off track record before handicapping a race in bad weather.
Horses tend to favor either turf or dirt. Very few horses are good on both surfaces. The legendary racehorse, Cigar, won only one of eleven starts on the turf. But on the dirt Cigar won 17 of 20 races. Whether horses accustomed to either turf or dirt will run well on synthetic surfaces is still a subject of controversy.
