Days of dirt races numbered?

[MaTH716]

It seems that many of the posters on this web site have a very strong pulse on the industry. In your opinion, within five years, is every racetrack in North America have a synthetic surface? It seems like the industry as a whole seems commited to going in this direction. Five years from now, are there going to be any more dirt races? Are they still researching and seeing if it is in fact safer than dirt? I know that they are going synthetic in California. Is it possible that some tracks will remain dirt? If so will we see specialized synthetic stakes races? I like the way things are now, but if it is a saftey issue I understand. The sport can't thrive with horses breaking down and jocks getting hurt every week. By the way I do not think the track had anything to do with the two spills at Aqueduct this week. What do the trainers think? Should it be a industry wide decision? Or could some tracks say that they are keeping there dirt courses because there is nothing wrong with them. I personally get nauseous thinking about having Polytrack at Saratoga. Maybe it makes sense for winter racing only, but it is not working in the case of Turfway park. Hollywood had it's problems too. So what is the answer?

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by MaTH716

It seems that many of the posters on this web site have a very strong pulse on the industry. In your opinion, within five years, is every racetrack in North America have a synthetic surface? It seems like the industry as a whole seems commited to going in this direction. Five years from now, are there going to be any more dirt races? Are they still researching and seeing if it is in fact safer than dirt? I know that they are going synthetic in California. Is it possible that some tracks will remain dirt? If so will we see specialized synthetic stakes races? I like the way things are now, but if it is a saftey issue I understand. The sport can't thrive with horses breaking down and jocks getting hurt every week. By the way I do not think the track had anything to do with the two spills at Aqueduct this week. What do the trainers think? Should it be a industry wide decision? Or could some tracks say that they are keeping there dirt courses because there is nothing wrong with them. I personally get nauseous thinking about having Polytrack at Saratoga. Maybe it makes sense for winter racing only, but it is not working in the case of Turfway park. Hollywood had it's problems too. So what is the answer?

No because the smaller tracks dont have the $ to put them in. Rickman is too cheap to put it in at Delaware. The Ohio tracks are headed under, Mountaneer doesn't care about horses any more. I suppose Charlestown doesn't either. Dont see who ever owns Saratoga putting in a $10 million dollar track for 6 weeks.

[The Bid]

Hopefully not.

[SniperSB23]

I don't see any reason for Saratoga to ever go to it. It is a fairly safe track and as mentioned above, a short meet. Maybe the Oklahoma track but never the main track.