Del Mar Race Course Inaugurates Polytrack

Posted on Thursday, February 1st, 2007

DEL MAR, Calif. (AP) — With Barbaro’s death still fresh on everyone’s mind, Del Mar Race Course officials broke ground Wednesday on an $8 million Polytrack surface designed to dramatically reduce the number of catastrophic injuries sustained by thoroughbreds.

Synthetic surfaces will be mandatory at major race tracks in California by the end of this year. Del Mar will be the second track in the state to install one, following Hollywood Park.

Last summer, 18 horses had to be euthanized at Del Mar, 10 after being injured during races and eight after breaking down during training.

“There’s been an increase in racing-related injuries,” said Joe Harper, Del Mar’s president and general manager. “Of course it was all brought to light by Barbaro in the Preakness Stakes.”

Barbaro, the Kentucky Derby winner, shattered three bones in his right hind leg in last May’s Preakness. He was euthanized Monday.

Workers are to begin removing Del Mar’s old dirt track this week. Others have begun mixing the materials for the Polytrack, piling it in huge mounds beyond the backstretch.

A Polytrack surface is composed of sand, synthetic fibers and recycled rubber, placed over a state-of-the-art drainage system, allowing for races in practically any weather. It also improves safety, with a more even composition across the track.

“If you can come up with a running surface that is forgiving to a horse, you’re way ahead of the game,” Harper said. “Basically, Polytrack is a very forgiving substance. Horses get ahold of it better. They’re more relaxed on it. They don’t strain themselves on it where on normal dirt, sometimes they can do that.

“If there’s a small injury that you don’t see that develops into a larger injury, that’s when you have these catastrophic breakdowns. Polytrack seems to overcome that.”

Harper said last summer’s high number of breakdowns “got our attention. That’s the great thing about Polytrack, hopefully that won’t happen. We’re all in this business because we love horses. Anytime one breaks down, we’re crushed.”

Harper called it the most important project ever undertaken at the seaside track.

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"Del Mar Race Course Inaugurates Polytrack" was posted on Thursday, February 1st, 2007 at 2:11 pm and is filed under Del Mar Race Track, Horse Racing Industry, Horses, Race Tracks News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Leave a response, or trackback from your own site.