| Surface | Drainage | Cushion Consistency | Maintenance Cost | Cold Weather Performance | |---------|----------|---------------------|------------------|--------------------------| | Gplus Polytrack | Excellent | Very High | Medium | Excellent (-10°C) | | Original Polytrack | Good | Medium | High | Poor (wax hardens) | | Tapeta | Good | Medium-High | Medium | Good | | Pro-Ride | Medium | Low | Very High | Moderate | | Dirt | Poor | Low | Low | Very Poor (freezes) |
Older synthetic tracks (like the original Polytrack) used mineral oil as a binding agent. Over time, UV rays and temperature swings would cause the oil to migrate to the surface, making the track "hot" (sticky) or "cold" (hard). gplus polytrack
Gplus uses a microcrystalline wax that remains stable across a wider temperature range. In practice, this means: | Surface | Drainage | Cushion Consistency |
The primary selling point of GPlus Polytrack is its drainage capability. Unlike porous turf or conventional dirt, the surface is designed to be permeable, allowing water to pass through the cushion and drain laterally. This significantly reduces the number of race meetings lost to waterlogging (soft ground). Older synthetic tracks (like the original Polytrack) used
While many US tracks (like Keeneland, Del Mar, Santa Anita) have removed their synthetics due to trainer preference and betting handle drops, Gplus Polytrack is still the surface of choice at:
Solution: High-quality GPlus Polytrack uses 3mm to 5mm holes arranged in a staggered "diamond" pattern. The fiber density (over 18 stitches per inch) visually masks the holes, and the fiber height prevents toe-penetration. Low-quality knock-offs use large 10mm holes that do catch cleats. Always buy certified GPlus product.