Del Mar polytrack info

[CA Michael]

Since the start of racing on July 18, Del Mar’s Polytrack safety record through Thursday has been perfect. In 2006 through the first 20 days of the meet, nine horses suffered catastrophic injury on its dirt main track either in afternoon racing or morning workouts and had to be humanely euthanized. This year through the same time frame not a single horse has been lost either racing or training on the engineered surface that consists of sand, rubber, carpet fibers and wax.

California's Equine Medical Director, Dr. Rich Arthur, has been on site and closely monitoring the Polytrack situation at Del Mar.

"I'm very pleased with what we’ve seen so far," Dr. Arthur said. "I've spoken to many of my veterinarian colleagues on the backstretch and most of them are cautiously optimistic. We are still early in this process, but so far the results are very encouraging. I'll give you an example: right now if you want to have an X-ray taken of your horse at the hospital on the backstretch you can have it done today. Before it might take you two or three days to get in. The injuries aren’t there now, and that’s a good thing. We are protecting our horses and riders and anything we can do in that regard is a good thing."

The track’s riders have registered a positive vote for the new surface, too, virtually to a man.

"I think it's great," said veteran David Flores. "The times are slower, sure, but the horses are going to last longer because of it. The bottom line is it is safer. What more could you want?"

Hall of Fame rider Mike Smith echoed his comments: "I love the safety of it. We've cut way down on catastrophic injuries. You’re still going to get some lesser injuries; these are athletes performing at a high level and you can’t avoid injuries. But this track has taken the concussion and jar out of it and the horses are better for it. Could it be tighter and faster? Maybe so. I think that will come as we go along."

Smith said he believed all the other riders also appreciated the new surface. "You don’t see any riders going down. Period. That tells you all you need to know as to whether or not the riders like it."

Besides the paramount safety factor, Polytrack has proven positive on several other fronts. Racing itself has been more competitive with closer finishes and fewer lengths spreading out the fields. In an ongoing study done by the industry's statistical keeper, Equibase, Del Mar’s finishes for the just-concluded third week of the meet showed fields more than 25% closer together at the finish (16.83 lengths apart, as opposed to 22.65 lengths in 2006) for all Polytrack races. And after a slow start when many horsemen took a wait-and-see attitude, average field size has started to increase to the point where it now is approaching last year’s number of 8.6 per race through 20 days. Whereas the field-size number was as low as 8.1 at the current meet, it now has risen to 8.4 per race.

"Our horsemen are starting to respond positively to Polytrack," vice president for racing Tom Robbins stated. "Understandably, they were a bit hesitant to begin the meet; they wanted time to train on the track and see how their horses handled it.

"Now our work tabs are running well ahead of last year and just in the last few days our entries have picked up, too. I think you’re going to see our average field size go ahead of the 2006 numbers shortly."

In 28 days of training thus far at the meet, 3,915 horses – an average of 140 per day – have worked on the Polytrack. Last year to this point there were 29 days of training and the total was 3,554 workers on the dirt track for a daily average of 122.

One of the residual advantages of Polytrack has been an expansion of the track's training hours each morning. Previously, the dirt track required three 30-minute breaks to smooth and condition the surface during the 4:30-to-10 a.m. training period. Under the Polytrack arrangement, only one break is necessary during the same time frame, allowing for an additional hour of training each day, which is proving to be a marked advantage in thinning the traffic flow on the busiest racetrack in California.

Race times have slowed on the Polytrack roughly an average of two seconds per race in sprints and three seconds in two-turn contests. The Equibase study for the end of the track’s third racing week showed an average time for five and one-half furlongs of 1:06.90 as compared to last year’s 1:04.85, while the average time for six furlongs has increased from 1:11.41 to 1:13.24. In route races the average time for a mile last year was 1:38.57 and that has gone to 1:41.61 on the Polytrack. The mile and one-sixteenth times have gone from an average of 1:45.12 in 2006 to 1:48.29 this season.

The Polytrack installation has provided yet another advantage in that it needs no water to maintain its surface. In previous years the dirt track required an average of 75,000 gallons of water a day to bind its elements together for maximum safety. The track’s maintenance crews have not used one drop of water on Polytrack and expect to realize a savings of more than 3-million gallons of water by the time the meet ends.

“There’s no doubt that we took a chance installing Polytrack and pushing for engineered surfaces throughout the state,” said Del Mar Thoroughbred Club’s executive vice president, Craig Fravel, the man who walked point for the track on the many issues and economic challenges that surrounded the radical change in the resort track’s racing surface. “But I’m glad we did and I just wish we could have done it sooner. I believe racing here, as well as in the state, is better for it. And I think racing throughout the country is watching and seeing that it is possible to make our sport safer and better for our horses, which is the bottom line for all of us.”

DMR press release 8-10-07

[CA Michael]

Perhaps Del Mar is now in a position to host Breeders Cup day. The stands aren't built for 100,000 people, but the new track surface certainly is more enticing to horsemen from around the world.

[Indychase]

Perhaps Del Mar is now in a position to host Breeders Cup day. The stands aren't built for 100,000 people, but the new track surface certainly is more enticing to horsemen from around the world.

God, I hope not. I was there for Cigar's Pacific Classic and it took me 3 hours to get out of the parking lot. If the BC was held there, that'd be one (and the only) Calif. BC that I'd be watching on my TV safe at home.

[CA Michael]

Take a plane, take a train, but don't take a car.

[Indychase]

So how does this report jive with people's reports here that horses are breaking down and dying on the Poly? What's with the discrepancy?

[louis finochio]

For those trainers that been patiently waiting on the sidelines and observing the thoroughbred in training and racing for the past 3 weeks. The waiting period is over and it's time it to run your horses, the 2 half of the meet will have full fields as the confidence of the trainers have the green light in their favor.

[ratherrapid]

i'd still like to hear what the horses, and maybe the fans, think. do those 4 horses that broke down on turf train on the poly?

[Tucumcari]

Poly or cushion

[CA Michael]

[quote="Indychase"]So how does this report jive with people's reports here that horses are breaking down and dying on the Poly? What's with the discrepancy?[/quote]

Facts vs. fiction. Reality vs. fantasy. Truth vs. lies. Science vs. old ideas.

[Foggytrip]

CAMichael all due respect.. What does Marty Collins or Keeneland know about science, or track composition? Where does the science come into this?

[CA Michael]

Foggy,

I don't know Marty Collins, but I do know that racetrack managements at Keeneland, Santa Anita and Del Mar investigated artificial surfaces at great length before deciding to make the switch. I also know that most track superintendents are trained in the art of maintenance but that most do not have experience in developing new tracks (Steve Wood of SA being an exception). And, from what I have read, the inventors of the various artificial surfaces are familiar with polymers and their use in waterproof track materials.

Cost conscious racetracks are loathe to invest large sums in capital improvements if the probability of their success is low. You can believe their due diligence included a scientific vetting of each artificial material under consideration.

[Tucumcari]

NO ONE studied this long enough before the mandate to install it in all California. at the end of the day, Bay Meadow will be saving money and ahead of the rest of the tracks who will switch back over to a synthetic surface 5-10 years TOPS. Or there might just be a mass exodous and 5 horse fields will be full fields.

[CA Michael]

See what I mean, Doc Jocoy?

[Rokeby Forever]

I see that Maimonides at Saratoga is happy and healthy after his maiden win. Who knows if the same could be said had he raced at Del Mar? I mean, anything is possible had he run on the Poly...but I know that he shows NO ill effects from racing at Saratoga!

Saratoga - the surface that's PROVEN to save careers and lives.

[Rokeby Forever]

Did anyone happen to see One Hot Wish race in the Sorrento?

Let's see...she ran a :43 half on Keeneland Polytrack. She then had a knee explode, she missed four months, and she returned on Del Mar Polytrack. The result? She was eased down the stretch.

Would a sane person conclude that Polytrack saves careers?