It rained yesterday at Rockingham Park. Should the track be muddy or sloppy for tomorrow's festivities, a decided edge will rest with the horses who have the rail, who break out of the first four post positions.

Usually the rail post positions are anathema for the horse player. The rail horse gets hemmed in and often never get to run his race. The track surface along the rail is often deeper than the track surface out a few feet from he rail, and the rail horse flounders in the deep and soft going, while the horses in the outside holes sprint to an easy victory.

At Rockingham Park, after a rain, things are different. The Rockingham Park track does not drain rain water very well. After a rain most of the track is a mire of heavy goo, but the rail still has the hard cushion. The answer is that the running surface is sloped a little towards the infield right near the rail. The rain water that falls near the rail drains off quickly.

Horses' Hooves

After a rain the whole track looks like a big mud flat, but there is a difference. The track cushion, the running surface that the horses' hooves actually hit-below the loose dirt scattered on top, is hard near the rail and soft and mushy for the rest of the track. Any horses not running on the rail slides and slips in the uncertain going and runs poorly.

On a we day at Rockingham Park handicap the field by deciding which of the first four horses will grab the early lead and the rail. That will be the winner. The outside horses have little chance. When the track is drying out reverse your thinking. The rainwater has now seeped to the inside. The outside horses run on firm ground and the rail horses on soft.

Take Mass, Ave to Alewife Brook Parkway and follow to Interstate 93 Go north in a pleasant drive, forty minutes away is Rockingham Park and some fine racing.