by Matthieu Lomon

Although their work often takes place behind the scenes, including at times when not everyone has yet spoken up, their vital contributions to the harness racing industry should never be left in the dark.

Track maintenance crews across Ontario work tirelessly to ensure the safety of every human and equine athlete who graces the province’s dozen Standardbred ovals.

But as the calendar changes and the weather worsens, what is already a challenge at the best of times becomes an even greater test of ingenuity, determination and prudence.

Few, if any, understand these obstacles better than Dan and Greg Coon of Coon and Associates, the mastermind duo who designed the trails at the Red Mile, the Delaware County Fairgrounds and Pompano, as well as the recent Grand River expansion.

“There are a lot of moving parts,” Dan said. “They are dedicated people, and it is in everyone’s best interest to recognize them.”

Dan was a keynote speaker at the Racetrack Surfaces Symposium hosted by Ontario Racing in September.

Facing the crowd of veteran athletics superintendents, he began his presentation by “simply telling the truth” about athletics teams and the obstacles they face throughout the year.

“These crew members broke their hump all summer trying to keep the pad in good shape, keep it moist and spent long hours doing it,” Dan said. “That’s the easy part.

“Now we are in winter. The freezing and thawing, the part (of the track) in front of the grandstand that freezes first because of the shadow, the tractor did not start. It’s one thing after another. I take my hat off to these guys.

According to Greg, overcoming freezing and thawing obstacles in a timely manner is particularly important.

“If it’s 35 degrees (Fahrenheit) and the track is thawed but it’s going to freeze at 2 or 3 a.m., someone needs to be there at 2 or 3 a.m., especially if it’s going to stay. frozen for next week,” Greg said. “If you don’t dry harrow it, you’ll be faced with it next week.”

However, that’s only half the story.

Even if the crew gets to the track in time and manages to freeze it, then the next challenge comes: dust.

Although Greg says there are ways to manage dust with calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, or salt, it’s still baggage.

Essentially, maintaining a race track in winter is about finding a compromise to achieve the most desirable racing surface despite undesirable conditions.

“You’re out there harrowing the track when it’s thawed,” Greg said. “The idea is that when it freezes, you break it. You don’t let it freeze like an ice rink. You’re trying to keep a loose cushion, and the cushion may have a popcorn feel when you’re done, but it still takes away the sting.

“If there’s no one to freeze it at 2, 3 or 4 in the morning, the next day it’s an ice rink.”

As if that wasn’t already confusing, the winter months also throw a multitude of wild cards at track teams, including sudden drops in temperature.

“You get to the third race, and it’s sloppy; it’s 30 degrees, then it goes down to 12 degrees,” Greg said. “You can’t work there while the race is going on. There’s a chance you’ll lose it where it freezes faster than you can clean it.

“And it just happens, it’s no one’s fault.”

Dan added that it’s possible to skid over it, but it’s still difficult to create a cushion.

With no shortage of puzzles to solve, Dan and Greg agree that a common understanding between horsemen and athletics teams is of the utmost importance.

“The riders are a pretty friendly bunch,” Dan said. “They know what you’re up against, probably better than most.”

This was evident during his time at Hawthorne Racetrack in Cicero, Illinois.

Januarys in Illinois are quite comparable to those in Ontario – wind, snow, sleet, all of it.

As Dan recalls: “Everyone knew it would be windy, cold and miserable. During the day it would be thawed and in the evening it would be frozen.

However, instead of sharing their gripes about the less than ideal conditions, Dan said the riders were aligned on what matters most.

“The credit also goes to the horse people; they know what you’re up against,” Dan said, adding with a laugh, “They can give you a bit of a hard time, but you know who to listen to.

“It’s not just a matter of time. This is about equine and human safety.

This job is not glamorous. It is demanding and requires a certain level of expertise and skills that take years to perfect.

It is also an invaluable discipline without which the harness racing industry simply could not function.

“There’s nothing easy about it,” Greg said. “I mean, we’re not splitting the atom, but it takes effort day and night.

“We all know how difficult it is for these track directors to find staff. And then you tell them you’re going to work nights and weekends? Even if you’re on the day shift, you have to show up at 2 a.m.

The brothers particularly praised track teams at smaller venues who may not have access to the same resources as Grand Circuit facilities.

“Years ago in Hawthorne, if you needed 250 tons of stone dust to put on the track, you just went to the garage and got it,” Dan said. “That may not be an asset that some of these smaller tracks have.

“These guys do a lot with sometimes very few assets. They are a very resourceful crew.

Before retiring, the track gurus gave an extra layer of shine to the folks who tend Ontario’s ovals year-round.

“It’s a challenge in summer and even more so in winter. But don’t think it’s easy in summer.

“They are great, hard-working people.”