Article: Arlington Park to Replace Dirt Track With Synthetic Surface
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Arlington Park to Replace Dirt Track With Synthetic Surface
Dec. 7, 2006 7:51 PM (ET)
http://sports.iwon.com/news/12072006/v9963.html
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. (AP) -Arlington Park, where at least 21 thoroughbred horses had to be euthanized after leg injuries on the dirt track during the 2006 racing season, will replace the dirt with a synthetic racing surface next year.
Arlington Park president Roy Arnold said Thursday that the track will invest $10 million to install the new surface. The project should be completed before Arlington's 2007 race meet, which opens May 4.
Arlington's inner turf track will not be affected by the resurfacing, said racetrack spokesman Dan Leary.
Because of the rash of "catastrophic breakdowns" of horses this year, three independent experts - two hired by the Illinois Racing Board and one hired by Arlington management - inspected the dirt surface late in the summer and found it well maintained, Arnold said. But those experts also said European-pioneered synthetic surfaces are more consistent and appear to be safer.
"While we are confident the track's current dirt surface is one of the best, the fact is we lost horses last summer, and that's not acceptable," Arnold said. "If we lose one horse, it's one too many."
Arnold said no final decision had been made on which of the four varieties of synthetic racing surface will be used at the northwest suburban track. Four other racetracks in North America use a synthetic surface.
The old dirt track at Arlington was the scene of one of racing's greatest feats, the mile run in 1:32 1-5 by Dr. Fager on Aug. 24, 1968, under 134 pounds - the highest weight ever carried by a record-setting horse. Dr. Fager's mile world record endured for all surfaces until Mr. Light shaved off a fraction of a second on the turf at Gulfstream last year. It still is the fastest mile on dirt.
