Horse racing board to investigate turf after deaths at Santa Anita
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We told you recently that seven horses have been euthanized due to injuries that occurred during racing or training at the Santa Anita racetrack since Dec. 26.
Concerns have been raised that the track’s change from a dirt surface to a synthetic one, mandated for California’s major tracks a few years ago by the California Horse Racing Board, may actually be causing an increase in injuries rather than reducing their frequency.
Now the board has begun work on a study that would examine the relationship between track surface type and horse injuries. The Pasadena Star-News reports:
‘This effort is to try to get some scientific information as to what constitutes the safest surface for horses,’ [Rick Arthur, the racing board’s equine medical director] said. ‘Surprisingly that information is not available. This is a first step frankly, and I’m glad the Horse Racing Board is moving forward with this.’ Thus far, limited statistics appear to favor synthetic turf. In California between June 2007 and June 2008, racehorse fatalities were 2.29 per 1,000 starts on synthetic turf, as opposed to 3.01 per 1,000 starts on dirt.
The purpose for changing the track surface in the first place, Arthur told the Star-News, was ‘a strong belief there would be a reduction in injuries, and the jury’s still out on that.’
-- Lindsay Barnett