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Racing industry stakes future on track safety
Breakdowns remain a top concern
Kevin Oklobzija
Staff writer
(July 24, 2006) — FARMINGTON — As Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro continues his fight for life, his sad plight could forever make racing safer for future generations of thoroughbreds, including those at Finger Lakes Gaming & Racetrack.
While horse racing is a sport that combines the beauty, grace and power of the thoroughbred, there is a tragic side that sickens participants and angers animal rights activists.
Every day, on average, one or two thoroughbreds are put to death because of injury suffered on a race track in North America.
"It's the worst thing in the world when you have to put a horse down," said M. Anthony Ferraro, one of the top trainers at Finger Lakes.
A new form of track might help prevent racehorse deaths.
Barbaro suffered what has been described as a catastrophic injury to his right hind leg, breaking three bones just moments after the start of the Preakness Stakes on May 20. In an instant, his career was over.
More than two months later, equine doctors at the University of Pennsylvania's New Bolton Center say they still don't know whether the colt will live.
A synthetic solution
Help could be on the way for horses that haven't even started racing. The makers of Polytrack and Cushion Track say they can prevent breakdowns — not all, but many. The two companies make what is essentially artificial turf for horses, a wax-coated blend of silica sand, polypropylene fibers and recycled rubber.
The substance looks and feels like sand. Unlike the dirt and sand used on tracks today, the manufacturers say, their blends create an even racing surface that acts as a shock absorber, distributing the blunt force of every step of the horse while holding up to the elements.
"I think it's an amazing product," said Christian Riegle, general manager of Finger Lakes, who has a sample of Polytrack in his office. "I want to stand on it; I want to walk on it."
So will horses, if Polytrack does what the maker claims.
"The potential to be injured will be dramatically reduced," Bob Elliston, president of Turfway Park in Florence, Ky., told National Public Radio.
Elliston holds a biased view. His track is owned, in part, by Keeneland Association, the North American distributor for Polytrack. But he has evidence to support his claim.
Horses at Turfway Park raced on Polytrack for the 113-day race season from September 2005 to April 2006. Three horses suffered fatal on-track injuries. The season before, 24 had broken down and were euthanized.
"I know a lot of people who race at Turfway, and they love it," said trainer Christopher Progno, who is based at Finger Lakes and oversees the operations for the John Progno stable at Mountaineer Race Track and Gaming Resort in Chester, W.Va. "I've heard no cons. They say the horses seem to be coming back off races better."
That's important because the more times a horse can race, the more an owner can earn. When injuries occur, such as strained tendons, horses need time off.
"It's bad business if a lot of horses are getting hurt," said trainer Chris Englehart, who is on his way to his fourth straight training title at Finger Lakes.
Injuries are very much a part of racing. At a smaller track like Finger Lakes, trainers often are sent horses whose ailments have made them unproductive on the major New York circuit of Belmont Park, Aqueduct and Saratoga Racecourse.
"There are a lot of old, class horses at Finger Lakes," Christopher Progno said. "They have their problems; that's why they're here. If you have a track (surface) that has no give, then those problems resurface."
Rest heals many ailments, but horses frolicking in the pasture don't make money.
"Owners don't want to pay a board bill for another six or eight months just to get two to six races out of the horse next year," Progno said.
Installations under way
That's why synthetic tracks are becoming the rage. Installation is under way at Keeneland in Lexington, Ky., Woodbine in Toronto and Hollywood Park in Inglewood, Calif. The California Legislature passed a bill requiring the state's four major tracks to install a synthetic surface by the end of 2007.
Many believe synthetic tracks will reduce injuries. A number of factors can cause breakdowns in horses. There can be uneven spots in the track. A rock could be hidden just beneath the surface. On bad-weather days, which are certainly common at Finger Lakes in the spring and fall, the surface can be uneven.
Then there are problems that have nothing to do with the track. Horses often bump or kick each other during a race. While in his stall, a colt may rear up or kick a wall and cause an undetectable injury, which then is exacerbated during a race.
"Or a breakdown could be a fluke," said Dr. Margaret Ohlinger, the examining veterinarian at Finger Lakes. "We (as a society) have human athletes that go out and drop dead."
Two years ago, Finger Lakes implemented a policy that requires examination of every horse scheduled to race on a particular day. Three veterinarians give a hands-on look to as many as 80 horses on the day's racing program. They won't allow an ailing horse to race.
The policy's results are evident in the mortality rate, Riegle says. In 2004, 13 horses were put down at this point of the season (four months of racing). Last year, 10 suffered fatal injuries in a race or in training during the period. This year, there have been eight breakdowns. By comparison, 17 horses were put down at Arlington Park near Chicago in just two months.
"Our casualty rate has dropped dramatically," Ohlinger said. "We must be doing something right."
Still, the veterinarians, trainers and owners are periodically confronted with the life-or-death decision. The owners of Barbaro love the horse but also know he is worth millions as a stallion. That's why every effort is being made to save him.
Unless a mare at Finger Lakes has impeccable bloodlines for breeding, the live-or-die decision often doesn't go in favor of the horse. Saving the animal is often cost-prohibitive.
"Some of my owners are willing to save a horse's life at any expense," Ferraro said, "but some can't afford it."
Polytrack sent Riegle what it's calling the "New York blend," which apparently was made to withstand the elements common to this region.
More information needed
However, installation costs between $6 million and $8 million. Since the only real test was the 2005-06 meet at Turfway Park, it's impossible to say Polytrack is a godsend. As any handicapper will tell you, there's no such thing as a sure thing.
"It could have a 20-year life or it could be three years," Riegle said. "If it lasts three years, it's a hard sell for any company."
Since Woodbine has racing conditions similar to those at Finger Lakes, the Toronto track will be a good proving ground. If a synthetic surface turns out to be a winner, then it's logical to assume that Finger Lakes would join the parade.
"Certainly the preliminary studies show it to be a benefit to reducing casualties on the race track," Ohlinger said. "But it's like a new car: Don't ever buy the first model year."
KEVINO@DemocratandChronicle.com
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