2008 Breeders' Cup - Is Santa Anita's Synthetic Track the Real Challenge?

Located a mere 14 miles from downtown Los Angeles, California, Santa Anita Park is home to the 2008 Breeders' Cup World Championships. For the first time in the event's history, its main event, the Breeders' Cup Classic, will be raced on a synthetic track. While some trainers approve of the move to an all-weather main track, there are those who feel the so-called safety benefits aren't entirely accurate.

What do the statistics say?

According to horse racing reports released last April (gathered by veterinarians from 42 participating racetracks), the number of injuries leading to deaths on dirt tracks is up (from March), while the number of injuries occurred on synthetic tracks have dropped. March dirt injuries leading to fatalities: 244 from 123,890 thoroughbred starters (or a ratio of 1.96 per 1,000). March synthetic surface injuries leading to deaths: 58 from 29,744 thoroughbred starters (or a 1.95 per 1,000 ratio).

In April that ratio rose to 2.02 fatalities on dirt and 1.47 on artificial surfaces per 1,000 starters. A more complete and accurate report on death-related injuries occurring in the months since April is not currently available since not all racetracks have agreed to include their injury reports. A new national racetrack injury database is in the works, but even that has been hard to piece together.

Mary Scollay, the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission equine medical director who heads the injury database creation project (along with The Jockey Club), says that the commission should do more to get the participation by all licensed veterinarians in order to provide a more accurate report.

"It is time for us to start being more direct in our approach in tracking non-racing related injuries," Scollay said. "I would like the committee to recommend to the commission that licensed veterinarians be required to participate in the database."

The Jockey Club vice president of corporate communications, Bob Curran, agrees with Scollay and adds that a further study of both dirt and synthetic track surfaces is essential to the transparency of the sport.

Is California ahead of the field?

In an effort to increase its racing season and to improve the safety of its thoroughbreds and riders, California horse racing officials have made synthetic main tracks a mandate at all racetracks.

Santa Anita's all-weather main track opened for training on September 4, 2007, and for racing at the start of the 39th annual Oak Tree Racing Association meet on September 26, 2007. The track is a one mile oval with two chutes and measures 1 1/4-mile and seven furlongs. The distance from the last turn to finish line measures 990 feet, with the homestretch width coming in at 85 feet and the backstretch width at 80 feet. Other synthetic, all-weather surfaces have been tested and installed at racetracks around the country, with Polytrack (made of crushed rubber, sand, fiber, and wax), Cushion Track (also made of a unique blend of sand, synthetics and wax), Safetrack (comprised of synthetic and fiber enhanced materials), Tapeta (made of sand, wax and fibers), and Pro-Ride (made of similar materials but is more elastic and adaptable to hotter temperatures) being the more popular synthetic options.

What do the trainers think of synthetic racetracks?

Although all of Fame thoroughbred horse trainer Nick Zito admitted to liking synthetic tracks for training purposes, he doesn't agree with a nation-wide move to synthetic racetracks.

"I don't want to run on anything made from my attic," said Zito. "I've been in this game since I was 15. God made dirt and God made grass. I'm very upset about this business right now."

Another top trainer, Bob Baffert, shares Zito's opinions of the stuff. Baffert says that because the horses can't dig into the track like they can on dirt, the thoroughbred's hind legs may become more susceptible to injury and as a result he has seen more rear end injuries and soreness. On the other hand, top Kentucky Derby trainer Eoin Harty (Colonel John's trainer) believes synthetic tracks are a God send and a career saver.

"I do know for a fact it keeps them sounder," Harty said. "Your primary obligation as a trainer is to do what's in the best interest for the owner and the horse. If you can prolong a horse's career, that's going to keep him sounder. That's your No. 1 obligation."

Still, the bottom-line belief coming from advocates of this much-needed surface change believe that synthetic tracks are easier on horses than conventional dirt tracks. They say it's more resilient, that the horses bounce over it instead of hitting it with a thud, and that in the end it will reduce injuries and keep horses running more productively.

With the 2008 Breeders' Cup only a few weeks away, it remains to be seen what Rick Dutrow, the outspoken trainer of Breeders' Cup favorite Big Brown, thinks of Santa Anita's synthetic track. For now, the enigmatic trainer maintains he's doing what he can to prepare his horse for the race of his life. Since Big Brown's Belmont Stakes bomb, the 2008 Kentucky Derby and 2008 Preakness Stakes winner has gone on to win three more races. And what about Big Brown's big nemesis, Curlin? The champion's owners are taking a pass on the 2008 Breeders' Cup Classic because they are not willing to jeopardize the health of their horse just to win against Big Brown on Santa Anita's synthetic track. This may change as the date draws near, however.

The 2008 Breeders' Cup will be televised live on ESPN and ABC on October 24th and 25th. Even if you're not planning on placing any bets on the 2008 Breeders' Cup, be sure to tune into this must-see television event.

For more information on the Breeders' Cup, please visit the Bodog Racebook.

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