Dirt and Synthetic are neck and neck for fatalities
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Program reports fatality rates for dirt, synthetic tracks nearly equal
by Jeff Lowe
The fatality rate for racing on synthetic surfaces has been nearly identical to the rate for conventional dirt tracks in the early statistics gleaned from an on-track equine-injury-reporting program that began last June.
Regulatory veterinarians representing 42 racetracks have participated in the project, and program developer Mary Scollay, D.V.M., outlined the initial composite statistics on Monday morning at the Welfare and Safety of the Racehorse Summit at Keeneland Race Course.
Injured horses are not identified in the reports, and Scollay did not give results for specific racetracks.
The fatal-injury rate for dirt racing has been 1.96 deaths per 1,000 starts since the study began, compared with 1.95 deaths per 1,000 starts on synthetic surfaces.
The first few months of the study had produced more favorable results for synthetic surfaces. Through early fall of 2007, the fatality rate was 1.19 per 1,000 starts on synthetic surfaces compared with 1.79 per 1,000 starts on dirt.
I think it says that we can do very well with the synthetics, we can do significantly better than the dirt tracks, but weve hit some glitches, said Scollay, the association veterinarian at Calder Race Course and Gulfstream Park. I dont think this is necessarily bad news, but it says that weve got a lot of learning to do.
Non-fatal injury rates favored synthetic surfaces, with ratios of one injury per 215 starts on synthetic tracks and one every 136 starts on dirt.
Jeff Blea, D.V.M., president of the Southern California Equine Foundation, said reports of arthroscopic surgeries and condylar fracture repairs decreased by 15.8% and 19.6%, respectively, in Southern California in 2007, which was the first full year with the Cushion Track surface in place at Hollywood Park and the first Del Mar and Oak Tree at Santa Anita meets with synthetic surfaces.
by Jeff Lowe
The fatality rate for racing on synthetic surfaces has been nearly identical to the rate for conventional dirt tracks in the early statistics gleaned from an on-track equine-injury-reporting program that began last June.
Regulatory veterinarians representing 42 racetracks have participated in the project, and program developer Mary Scollay, D.V.M., outlined the initial composite statistics on Monday morning at the Welfare and Safety of the Racehorse Summit at Keeneland Race Course.
Injured horses are not identified in the reports, and Scollay did not give results for specific racetracks.
The fatal-injury rate for dirt racing has been 1.96 deaths per 1,000 starts since the study began, compared with 1.95 deaths per 1,000 starts on synthetic surfaces.
The first few months of the study had produced more favorable results for synthetic surfaces. Through early fall of 2007, the fatality rate was 1.19 per 1,000 starts on synthetic surfaces compared with 1.79 per 1,000 starts on dirt.
I think it says that we can do very well with the synthetics, we can do significantly better than the dirt tracks, but weve hit some glitches, said Scollay, the association veterinarian at Calder Race Course and Gulfstream Park. I dont think this is necessarily bad news, but it says that weve got a lot of learning to do.
Non-fatal injury rates favored synthetic surfaces, with ratios of one injury per 215 starts on synthetic tracks and one every 136 starts on dirt.
Jeff Blea, D.V.M., president of the Southern California Equine Foundation, said reports of arthroscopic surgeries and condylar fracture repairs decreased by 15.8% and 19.6%, respectively, in Southern California in 2007, which was the first full year with the Cushion Track surface in place at Hollywood Park and the first Del Mar and Oak Tree at Santa Anita meets with synthetic surfaces.
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HORSE SAFETY SUMMIT TACKLES CARE ISSUES
By Alicia Wincze
AWINCZE@HERALD-LEADER.COM
While the viability of synthetic surfaces has come under recent scrutiny because of maintenance issues, the men in charge of preserving the tracks aren't ready to declare the switch away from dirt a bust.
A panel featuring some of racing's top track superintendents discussed the ever- evolving task of maintaining synthetic surfaces during the first day of the Welfare and Safety of the Racehorse Summit held at Keeneland's sales pavilion Monday afternoon.
As evident by the well-documented struggles Santa Anita Park has endured with its Cushion Track during its current meet, the care of synthetic surfaces has required much more diligence than many were initially led to believe.
"I think what we found out is ... you really have to stay on top of this stuff much more than we originally thought," said Dennis Moore, superintendent for Hollywood Park, which also uses Cushion Track. "I think it's more weather sensitive than we thought it would be.
"It's like you have a child that's a bad child but you don't want anyone telling you that. I think that's kind of where we're at with the manufacturers. So we have to bring in the scientists and the outside people that we feel can take it to the next step."
Santa Anita has lost 11 days of racing because of the track's drainage problems and is slated to replace the surface once its current meet ends.
Even those that have had issues with synthetic tracks, however, still believe the surfaces will have a greater upside once the learning curve has leveled out.
"What we've learned so far is what we need is more study, more science and more time, but we are on the right track," said Richard Shapiro, chairman of the California Horse Racing Board. "We are doing something to improve the sport and improve the game and we are saving the horses."
Added Del Mar superintendent Steve Wood, "I'm not against all dirt tracks, but today I think the potential for synthetic surfaces is probably greater than dirt tracks."
Butch Lehr, superintendent for Churchill Downs, said while he is not against synthetic surfaces, Churchill's management would need to see more long-term evidence before it would consider changing its tradition-rich dirt main track.
"I'm not against change, but in my situation, it's a little too soon. That's just the way I feel," Lehr said. "We certainly are looking at all these things that come up. The best interest of the horse is what we're all working for."