Santa Anita Surface

[NorthStar]

Has anyone had any recent bad experience with the main track/Santa Anita surface?

Moved my horses there thinking it would be best and in 2 days, 3 horses have been taken off track in an ambulance. One day was a week ago, before we moved there and two were in one hour's time.

Our rider (who hasn't ridden on the new surface before) says it is deep and loose at the bottom. I am told they never changed the bottom when they switched from the synthetic to dirt (the first time), nor did they change the bottom this time. Only added lots of sand.

Any recent experiential input would be appreciated.

Thx
NS

[zinn21]

Sorry to hear this.

[Shammy Davis]

My experience has been with arena surfaces, but the applications and construction are somewhat the same. Just my opinion but it is the road base that continues to be a question. You've pointed to that issue in your post. Although SA switched back to dirt, I've read nothing that says that the road base and drainage systems were changed or modified to suit the new dirt surface. Synthetic surfaces do not retain moisture like dirt. They take much more care and water to maintain their cushion. Moisture is critical and without it the base becomes hard and compacted. When sand is added to surface dirt, its moisture retention is compromised also. Sand is also abrasive, which can often cause changes in stride and gait if it is deep. The large amount of surface sand applied by SA has probably increased the problem. It's probably heavy going for the horses which wears horribly on a horse's suspensory systems.

You have to ask yourself, with other tracks across the country and world satisfied with their synthetic tracks, why is CA having such a hard time with them.

My answer is: They are doing the work on the "cheap," and, JMO, the maintenance personnel are not educated enough to understand what they are doing. Previous flooding issues make me think that.

Any golf course maintenance supervisor could probably correct SA's track problems in no time. Golf course construction uses many of the same engineering principals.

[louis finochio]

I have asked tons of gallop workers, they all gave me a thumbs up. Most tbs that sustained injuries, are having tons of soundness probems. The trainers need the day $, & wont turn their tbs out.

Thats why trainer Bruce Headley tbs run till their 5 or 6. BH turns his tb out when they develop problems.

[Shammy Davis]

Louis: Dr. Rick Arthur, CA State Vet, has noted on a number of occasions in both TT and the BH that the synthetic track at SA lessened fatalities from above 3 per 1000 to below 2 per 1000.

CA seems to be the only area that can't decide what injury rate they can live with or what surface meets their needs.

As an experiment to see how a horse is tested on a dirt track with a heavy sand composition, put on your running shoes and take a couple of fast laps around the SA track. Let us all know about your experience. I'll bet you'll be in "tons" of pain. Be sure to have the track ambulance available.

As far as Bruce Headley is concerned, there are plenty of trainers across NA who are running older horses. There are also a number of OT training centers across the nation that are doing very well and are providing turn-out. Most horses are turned-out because they are having soundness problems. I don't think "turn-out" is anything new to a modern trainer's regimen.

[BenB]

Louis, I told you before, this track will become a nightmare.

[ireneinwa]

I say the horses not the track. I agree with Lou.

[BenB]

Sadly another victim: Mudville Nine on october the first. Track: dirt Gooiing: fast.

According to the results from investigated breakdowns by the Grayson Jockeyclub.
Fast dirt tracks are causing a four times higher breakdown rate than
a good turf track. On average

The last year with the synth there were 6 fatalities, last year with the dirt there were 26 included the turf track and the breakdowns in the morning.

Up to now already 4.

[Shammy Davis]

Louis' thoughts on racehorse soundness are imaginative, but hardly based on any fact. The fact that this thread started off discussing the SA surface substantiates the fact that surface conditions are of great concern to the trainer and owner. Many horses are scratched because of surface conditions giving to the belief that a sound racehorse may in fact be impeded and thus injured because of faulty or dangerous surface conditions. The most difficult proposition faced by those who think of the TB as frail is coming up with an adequate definition for unsoundness which totally proves their theory. As of this date, Louis has not come up with any data or information that comes close to proving his "doomed TB theory." The shame of Louis' unsoundness thinking is that it is extremely hard to adjudicate or understand because the basis for it is all a very deep dark secret.

Here's one soundness (or if you like unsoundness) definition that is fairly definitive but broad enough not to be perfect. It does however make sense.

CONFORMATION AND SOUNDNESS IN HORSES

by John R Kohnke BVSc RDA

The structural development of the limbs, size and body proportions that make up an individual horse'sconformation can influence its balance and movement during exercise. The strength of its limbs and conformation in furn, can influence its overall soundness and ability to perform in competition.


Conformation and soundness are interrelated in determining the movement, performance and overall quality of a horse during its competitive lifetime.


Soundness can be classified in a number of ways relative to the horse's freedom from lameness, but it can also relate to the horse's suitability for a particular purpose, such as eventing,jumping, polo, cross country, hack and dressage competition, which can include other measures of soundness for the purpose,such as boldness, temperament and flow of the
stride.

Soundness can also be influenced by factors such as the type of working surface, shoeing, dietary balance, body weight and the exercise program, especially as a horse ages. Accidental injuries such as lower limb lacerations, excessive bone modelling responses and abnormal growth and balance in the hooves can all influence the relative
soundness for the purpose. A horse with a minor joint or tendon injury, for example,may not be suitable for upper level equestrian sports, but its soundness as a hack will not be compromised. As horses age, natural wear and tear and other degenerative changes,
that are not always related or influenced by conformation, can occur and restrict its suitability for long term training and competition. It is always important to select a horse that is sound and strong if you plan to compete over a few years, rather than try to rehabilitate a horse from the race track which has broken down due to tendon and joint
problems and carries the legacy of unsoundness into retirement and equestrian competition. . .

Statistically and historically, the frail or doomed TB racehorse theory as has been suggested, holds weight only in anecdotal conversation and editorial writing. The bold print above has been suggested to purveyors of the "doomed TB racehorse theory" ad infinitum without success. To throw a blanket "fraility" theory over the problem of racehorse injury makes no sense and if it were true that the "universally frail TB" was based in fact, we'd all be watching QH, Arabian, and Appaloosa racing.

Bruce Headley loves the dirt track. After winning a big race at SA on Saturday, he was heard to say, "Dirt is back!" Lots of trainers like dirt. That does not mean that it is safe. Bruce Headley runs older horses too. He is known to turn-out horses with physical problems. So do a great many other trainers. There is nothing about Bruce Headley's training methods to support that the TB racehorse is universally frail. Simply, if the track that you train at is dirt, your choses are limited. Universal TB unsoundness, if you believe it, dirt tracks, and Bruce Headley's training methods are connected in fact.