Bill Finley: Synthetic tracks getting bad rap again - ESPN

[andymays]

Bill Finley: Synthetic tracks getting bad rap again - ESPN
http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/horse/columns/story?columnist=finley_bill&id=4943218

Excerpt:

A better story would have been a report that examined the Los Alamitos situation. While 184 horses died over two years at Los Alamitos, no thoroughbred track came close to matching those numbers. Golden Gate Fields had the second most deaths with 104, not at all a surprise since it has more racing dates than any other California thoroughbred track.

I have no idea if Quarter-Horse racing is somehow more dangerous than Thoroughbred racing (though Thoroughbreds also race at Los Alamitos and are dying there as well), but the numbers coming out of Los Alamitos are totally unacceptable. Something is very wrong there and the CHRB should do something about it.

Other unsettling numbers coming out of the CHRB reports show a significant increase in horse deaths across all tracks that began in 2004, before the synthetic tracks were put in. During a period that ran from Nov. 2003 to Nov. 2004, 243 horses died at the California tracks. During the very next fiscal year the number jumped to 320 and has never been below 300 since. I suspect that around that time some new drug cropped up on the backstretches of California's tracks that is still in widespread use today and is contributing to a lot of fatalities. Again, the CHRB ought to try to figure out what happened and fix it.

The CHRB may have a lot to worry about and look at, but synthetic surfaces are not one of its primary problems. At least when it comes to safety, they're getting the job done — no matter what you may have read.

Bill Finley is an award-winning racing writer whose work has appeared in The New York Times, USA Today and Sports Illustrated. Contact him at wnfinley@aol.com.

[andymays]

It is misleading and reckless to compare the worst three years of dirt surfaces in California with decades old bases to new synthetic surfaces with new material and new bases. Why does Rick Arthur use the worst three years of dirt? Why not 2002 to 2004? LOL

It is misleading and reckless to use a Los Alamitos quarter horse meet where thoroughbreds run for a $2500 claiming tag yet Rick Arthur does it all the time.

It is misleading and reckless to not disclose that Vet inspections on race day and on the track have been stepped up since 2008. We’ve had quite a few more scratched on the way to the gate haven’t we?

Bill Finley likes synthetic surfaces and promotes them on a regular basis. Bill Finley is wrong!

[FenceBored]

It is misleading and reckless to compare the worst three years of dirt surfaces in California with decades old bases to new synthetic surfaces with new material and new bases. Why does Rick Arthur use the worst three years of dirt? Why not 2002 to 2004? LOL

It is misleading and reckless to use a Los Alamitos quarter horse meet where thoroughbreds run for a $2500 claiming tag yet Rick Arthur does it all the time.

It is misleading and reckless to not disclose that Vet inspections on race day and on the track have been stepped up since 2008. We’ve had quite a few more scratched on the way to the gate haven’t we?

Bill Finley likes synthetic surfaces and promotes them on a regular basis. Bill Finley is wrong!

The other thing to consider is the length of the meet at Los Al, it's the entire year. It's not as though they're getting these numbers in one or two months of racing.

[Java Gold@TFT]

Supposedly the NTRA inspections use a more correct (if still flawed) statistic of equine on track deaths per 1,000 starters. That narrows evry possible difference in track racing dates and races per card for thoroughbreds. The Los Al numbers would be restricted to the 1,000 TB runners instead of a straight up and down number.

There is an old expression in my line of work - there are lies, damned lies and statistics. I can meld any database of stats to make it look like I want. CHRB has the same approach to save theri hides.

[turfnsport]

What's misleading is that it is not the racing surfaces that are killing these horses.

[cj]

It is going to be hard for Finley to sell his book about rubber tracks if the rubber tracks are gone.

[andymays]

I just wish guys like Finley, Arthur, and Fravel would disclose whether or not they've ever received any compensation from any sythetic surface manufacturer, their subsidiaries or their agents. I've asked the CHRB about Rick Arthur several times and they will not answer. It would be real easy to answer no right?

[andymays]

It is going to be hard for Finley to sell his book about rubber tracks if the rubber tracks are gone.



Exactly! :ThmbUp:

[46zilzal]

Breed light boned animals to light boned animals and then DRUG them routinely and the results are catastrophic breakdowns.

SAME thing happens via a different pathology, in many of my diabetic patients who developed Charcot joints in their feet, from which, they were unable to perceive pain.

Difference here is they do it pharmacologically and not pathologically.

[andymays]

http://www.paulickreport.com/blog/finley-san-diego-union-tribune-on-synthetics-a-case-of-sloppy-journalism/

#8 Comment Excerpt:

What you DO NOT understand is that synthetic tracks cause more problems than they solve, with respect to suspensories, bows, rear end problems, and ingestion of synthetic materials by horse and jockey which interferes with breathing and causes problems with the respiratory system. This respiratory problem affects both horse and jockey. Why don’t you spend some time talking to the jockeys. They are also affected by synthetic tracks, BUT, are never mentioned.

The majority of trainers WOULD NOT BE CALLING for a switch if synthetics were “actually” doing their job. As far as Los Alamitos, the quality of thoroughbred that races there is inexcusable. Again, dirt has little to do with the high break down rate, although poor judgment on the part of racing officials does (Namely, State Vet), but not limited to.

[gm10]

I think you have to be blind not to see that they are safer.
I think even the dirt boys @ California are admitting this by now - although now they are claiming that this is because of better pre-race checks. Pmsl ... what will they come up with next.

[Stillriledup]

It is going to be hard for Finley to sell his book about rubber tracks if the rubber tracks are gone.

Ut oh, COI alert!