Another fatality during training hours at Santa Anita

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Whirlaway
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Another fatality during training hours at Santa Anita

Postby Whirlaway » Fri Mar 04, 2011 12:08 pm

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Postby majxmom » Fri Mar 04, 2011 12:48 pm

Yes, I remember those words well: "A properly engineered dirt track is just as safe." :cry:
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Postby Bast » Fri Mar 04, 2011 6:10 pm

Magic Launch, a 6 y o mare, was euthanized after the 7th race.
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BenB
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Postby BenB » Sat Mar 05, 2011 3:27 am

As it is buisiness, on a dirt track one can race almost all days.
But the synth has proven to be horse friendly.

So up to now 11 horses has gone down up to now.

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Postby karenkarenn » Sun Mar 06, 2011 8:10 am

there were two yesterday that were injured. I know that one was euthanized at S.A.

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Postby Monsun » Sun Mar 06, 2011 7:13 pm

Both Lieve and Redemsky were euthanized at SA yesterday. And Super broke down today, in the 6th I believe.

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Postby karenkarenn » Sun Mar 06, 2011 7:17 pm

So its gotten worse since they put the dirt in.

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Postby Monsun » Sun Mar 06, 2011 8:42 pm

But it isn't quite that easy:
Redemsky broke down on dirt. Lief, and today also Super, broke down on the turf. Of course, presumably they all previously at some time trained on the dirt.

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1

Postby tbrace » Sun Mar 06, 2011 8:53 pm

Many of us predicted this at the outset of the SA surface. Not because we are so smart - it isn't rocket science.

This kind of sand and clay track = hard surface = fast times = many, many, deaths and injuries to horses. All of those outcomes have come true, and will continue to do so.

It is the "throw away" mentallity that many trainers and owners have. Get the horse to go fast, a few times, and go on to the next one.

It is sad, indeed.

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Re: 1

Postby Bast » Sun Mar 06, 2011 9:26 pm

tbrace wrote:Many of us predicted this at the outset of the SA surface. Not because we are so smart - it isn't rocket science.

This kind of sand and clay track = hard surface = fast times = many, many, deaths and injuries to horses. All of those outcomes have come true, and will continue to do so.

It is the "throw away" mentallity that many trainers and owners have. Get the horse to go fast, a few times, and go on to the next one.

It is sad, indeed.


Does anyone know how the numbers of catastrophic breakdowns now compare to the 1960s when the Santa Anita surface was hard and fast?
May 2013: Plan ahead now for the Phalaris/Teddy Centennial!

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A horse gallops with his lungs

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And wins with his character. --Tesio

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Postby Monsun » Mon Mar 07, 2011 8:18 am

You figure they're published somewheres, or did we back then just sweep them under the rug? The 1960's after all are way before the internet age and relatively easy access to information.

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Postby Sysonby » Mon Mar 07, 2011 8:34 am

Unfortunately I got to witness poor Super's accident since it was in front of the stands. It happened on the turf course and it sure looked like a step in a hole kind of incident.

That was just an awful nightmare of a race for Jamie Lloyd yesterday. His other horse dumped Mike Smith, ran off and was scratched before the start.

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Postby TJ » Mon Mar 07, 2011 8:49 am

Sysonby wrote:Unfortunately I got to witness poor Super's accident since it was in front of the stands. It happened on the turf course and it sure looked like a step in a hole kind of incident.

That was just an awful nightmare of a race for Jamie Lloyd yesterday. His other horse dumped Mike Smith, ran off and was scratched before the start.


Hi Sysonby,
That was a turf race too....seems like they've had 3-4 break down on the turf recently...I know Magic Launch, Redemsky and Lieve were also turf runner's....I think it was Redemsky who switched to the dirt in his last and broke down? TJ

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Postby Monsun » Mon Mar 07, 2011 6:43 pm

Sysonby wrote:Unfortunately I got to witness poor Super's accident since it was in front of the stands. It happened on the turf course and it sure looked like a step in a hole kind of incident.


What sort of maintenance does a turf track get, specifically Santa Anita's? Is it possible that there really was a hole, and if so, what gets done to address such issues>

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Postby TJ » Tue Mar 08, 2011 4:32 am

Monsun wrote:
Sysonby wrote:Unfortunately I got to witness poor Super's accident since it was in front of the stands. It happened on the turf course and it sure looked like a step in a hole kind of incident.


What sort of maintenance does a turf track get, specifically Santa Anita's? Is it possible that there really was a hole, and if so, what gets done to address such issues>


Hi Monsun,
When they run a turf race clods of turf are kicked up and many times leave holes and uneven spots along the course....especially where the course is softer than in other spots as it's very hard to have a consistently maintained turf course. Trainer's, especially trainer's of turf stake horses, will walk the course looking for holes and to assure themselves their horse will race over a properly maintained course. You can imagine the damage to the turf course after one race is run over it....clods of turf are kicked up causing (many times) an unsafe course. Maintenance crews will walk the turf course replacing divits, checking for soft spots (possibly due to over watering in some areas). Also the portable rail is useful in maintaining the turf course as it affords chopped up, hard used area's a chance to grow back and be worked on, while leaving a safe inside turf area for the race. It's one of the toughest courses to keep safe and properly maintained. TJ