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Are Dirt Tracks On The Way Out In New York?

Friday 9th May 2008

Whether you love them or hate them, dirt tracks are a major part of the US Horse Racing culture but it seems that they may be living on borrowed time in New York. After the fatal injury which Eight Belles sustained in last weeks Kentucky Derby the call for synthetic track surfaces is growing louder and it seems as though the authorities are keen to listen.

To those watching US racing in places such as the UK, the sight of mud covered jockeys pushing their horses to the limit on mud bathed tracks has been something of a regular occurrence, although something very rare on the UK horse racing scene. However, while UK racing has greatly improved its safety record over the last few years there are many who question the safety of dirt tracks in the US.

It seems that even when dry the tracks place great pressure on the legs of the race horses, some of which take these often tight corners at great speed. The New York authorities are looking to confirm that synthetic surfaces will give more grip to the horses as they take the corners and severely reduce the number of fallers, especially on the mud tracks.