Just in case anyone didn’t look closely at post by ASB_Stars above mine, horse #12 died Saturday.
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I am not sure what will come of this, but it’s something.
HISA to Hold Veterinary Summit at Churchill Downs - BloodHorse
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There definitely can be streaks of bad luck that can make things appear worse than they actually are and I think the jury is still way way out on HISA but I personally think everyone needs to do their due diligence here even if nothing concrete ever comes from it. That is just way too many dead bodies to gloss over.
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Switch to synthetics?
From the article:
“The benefits of synthetic tracks are not mere conjecture; they are a proven truth. Their superior safety record and fewer injuries make their adoption not just an option but an ethical imperative.”
Is their safety record proven?
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I believe so…but they are not the unicorn answer to solve the breakdown problems and have their own drawbacks, or so I understand.
Don’t race but the other steps sound more then reasonable and remarks from those that do race that I respect sound like they are willing to support these measures. Maybe it will help them say no to owners of horses who are in over their heads or should not be racing,
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Chaysenbryn broke down in the 3rd at Belmont.
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My problem with switching to synthetics is we will never change people’s mindsets. So the only way it will be successful is if they are somehow forced upon everyone.
We tried switching to synthetics in the 00s and it failed miserably. The failure wasn’t because of the surfaces themselves but because of people.
There are roughly 76 active pari-mutuel TB tracks in the US. That’s not counting some of the fair meetings.
Currently only 4 of them have synthetic surfaces, since just as many ripped out their synthetic surfaces and reinstalled dirt over the past decade.
There is no way you are going to get 72 tracks on board with replacing their surface. It’s just too expensive.
But the 00s taught us that if the choices are synthetic or dirt, the overwhelming majority of horsemen and horseplayers will choose dirt.
The racing surface isn’t the only factor in breakdowns. It’s one piece of a multifaceted puzzle. The naysayers are going to constantly be making noise about how synthetic surfaces “don’t work” and demanding a return to dirt. But it’s not just going to be a handful of people: we are talking about huge swaths of the backbone of racing. And if there is any wiggle room to get their way, they will get their way.
I don’t know how we change the collective mindset of horse racing on this one unless we turn over a rock and find hundreds of millions of unused dollars to force everyone’s hand.
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I am really sorry to hear about Janie.
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I suspect all synthetics are not created equal, which, to me, adds another complicating factor as well.
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I remember reading quite a few articles back then, so of course things may have changed since.
They all led to the conclusion that while there may be less catastrophic events on synthetic, there were more soft tissue injuries.
Not sure if this would hold true today.
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The Times has coverage of CD’s policy changes and reviews.
Gift link isn’t working for me, but here’s the original.
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Link wont open….behind pay wall.
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What does COTH think of this= new rules, etc.
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Gift Article;
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Churchill Downs races are moving to Ellis Park for at least the beginning of the summer, according to this article. I wonder if they’re replacing all the footing?
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Gift Link
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