Emergency CHRB Mtg Open to Public

[Delmar Deb]

For anyone who is interested in attending tomorrow\'s CHRB meeting on allowing SA to run races at HP if necessary, Chairman Shapiro stated, \"it will be a telephonic meeting, accessible to the public at specific locations.\"  

Given the recent publicity Mr. Shapiro has garnered both on air (Roger Stein show) and in the papers (LA Times, 1/6, Bill Christine), I expect it will be more than just a \"procedural\" matter.

Locations are shown in the press release, per below link.

 http://www.chrb.ca.gov/press_releases/2008_01_06_press_release.pdf

[Ron G.]

The Toc just e-mailed me this:

Since October, TOC has been monitoring closely developments at Santa Anita relating to the Cushion Track surface, while those who purchased and built the track undertook extensive efforts to remedy drainage and composition-related problems.  Based on all of the research and work undertaken, Cushion Track and MEC, and its consultants, concluded there was a solution that would permit the Santa Anita meet to offer racing on a safe track, suitable for racing and training.  
Over the past few days, severe storms have drenched the Santa Anita racing surface and, in the process, rendered unsuitable for racing and training purposes the Cushion Track surface, as presently composed. Efforts to correct these problems are ongoing.
By virtue of California law, the California Thoroughbred Trainers ("CTT") has primary responsibility to represent horsemen as to track surface and safety issues.  So far, they have made a wonderful effort to keep TOC leadership apprised of developments and of their views on these matters, and we appreciate that cooperation! Notwithstanding the law, TOC remains involved in the process, and has continued to express our concern for the health and well being of owners' horses.
Today, January 8th, the CHRB will hold a special meeting to consider granting the industry flexibility to shift racing temporarily to Hollywood Park should that become necessary. TOC will participate in the hearing, and we will advise membership of any significant resulting developments.
While disappointed by the performance of this one Cushion Track surface, TOC remains encouraged by the performance of California's other engineered surfaces. By nearly all accounts, Golden Gate Field's Tapeta surface has handled the inclement weather quite well,  as has Hollywood Park's surface, and, while not having been maintained, Del Mar's Polytrack is reported to be in excellent shape.  Those reports confirm what most understood a few weeks ago; Santa Anita's Cushion Track has so far not performed like the others.  
We ask our members to please keep in mind that engineered surfaces represent a huge leap forward in terms of protecting horse and rider.  They are and remain a new technology, and with that comes a learning curve.  The racing industry is witnessing part of that learning curve, and must accept that fact.  We also ask members to recognize that were Santa Anita still operating a dirt track – and ignoring for the moment the increased risk our horses would be exposed to -- the amount of rain that recently fell would have produced nearly identical problems for us all, and in fact caused the cessation of racing Sunday night at Los Alamitos after its 3rd race, on its dirt surface.  It is only the advent of these surfaces that has permitted Golden Gate and Hollywood Park to continue operating in such severe weather.
While some have been quick to claim that the problems associated with this one Cushion Track surface somehow confirms that this technology is flawed, we ask our members to take a good look at the facts, and objectively decide for themselves.
·         Racing fatalities have been reduced approximately 50% at those tracks installing engineered surfaces.  
·         In 2004 and 2005, the fatality rate on all traditional surfaces at major race meetings (Bay Meadows, Golden Gate, Hollywood Park, Oak Tree, Del Mar, Santa Anita) combined was 1 fatality per 445 starts.
·         In 2007, the fatality rate on tracks with engineered surfaces was 1 fatality per 913 starts.
·         Tracks that have installed engineered surfaces have had a marked increase in registered, timed workouts as a result of larger inventories of racing horses, and more healthy horses.  For example:
1.       Del Mar installed a Polytrack in 2007.  In 2006, it had 7,118 workouts during its meet.  In 2007, there were 7,900 workouts.  An 11% increase.
2.       Oak Tree installed a Cushion Track in 2007.  In 2006, it had 3,444 workouts during its meet.  In 2007, there were 4,340 workouts.  A 26% increase.  
3.       Hollywood Park installed a Cushion Track prior to its 2006 fall meet.  In 2005, it had 3,908 workouts, while in 2006 – during the corresponding fall meeting – there were 6,524 registered workouts; a 67% increase.  
4.       Comparing 2005, the last non-engineered surface year, to 2007, the first all engineered year, there were a total of 16,841 more workouts in 2007; a 63% increase.      
·         At every race meeting following the installation of an engineered surface, field sizes have increased.  In Northern California field size has increased in excess of one additional horse per race.
·         At every race meeting following the installation of an engineered surface, all source handle has increased from the prior period, as have purse revenues.
·         Both in Southern California and Northern California, new racing stables with hundreds of horses have come to California as a stated result of installing the engineered surfaces.
·         According to Blood Horse Magazine (December 8, 2007, page 6979) every track in the country has averaged fewer racing fatalities as a result of engineered surfaces.
·         Prior to adopting the installation of the first of these surfaces, the CHRB held 6 public meetings exclusively to discuss, view, analyze, and meet vendors that manufacture engineered surfaces.  
·         Numerous studies were undertaken by industry stakeholders including health studies, and many stakeholders visited tracks throughout the country and overseas, both Europe and down under, to study the characteristics of these surfaces, including TOC.
·         With substantial increases in inventory, workouts, and increased field sizes, injuries will still occur – for various reasons – but have been demonstrated to occur with far less frequency, given the sizeable increase in racing and training related activities.
Overall, these are all extremely positive developments, and are objectively verifiable!  In fact, they represent improvements in all of the traditional metrics for racing!  
TOC is concerned with the protection of our horses, and the financial success of the business.  Moving to engineered surfaces has helped us in getting closer to achieving both objectives, and we believe that – at this time – the situation is simply a short-term challenge that will be resolved.
We will continue to keep membership advised. In the interim, should you have any questions, members are welcome to contact the TOC office.

[Delmar Deb]

Surface Switch: Going Hollywood?
Bloodhorse Magazine
by Jack Shinar
Date Posted: January 8, 2008
Last Updated: January 8, 2008

\"The California Horse Racing Board, meeting in a brief emergency session by teleconference Jan. 8, cleared the way for the Los Angeles Turf Club to move some or all of Santa Anita\'s 2008 winter/spring racing dates to Hollywood Park.

The action amending LATC\'s operating license to allow the change passed unanimously with little discussion. However, Ron Charles, Santa Anita\'s president, cryptically told the board that the flexibility to use Hollywood Park\'s facilities for racing, requested because Santa Anita\'s Cushion Track is plagued with vertical drainage problems, may not be necessary after all.

\"We\'re going to come forward with a contingency plan that will allow us to race safely, even in the rain,\" he said. \"Where we are now, it\'s up to us to address this problem that we\'ve inherited from Cushion Track

"Today, rather than elaborate on the details and add to further speculation, we will be making that decision and have an announcement within the next 48 hours that we believe will be well-received."

Charles said the plan would allow training of horses. Horses have been able to train over Santa Anita\'s main track for only two of the past six weeks, greatly inconveniencing horsemen.

CHRB chairman Richard Shapiro, conducting the meeting from his investment office in Calabasas, said officials \"would be on the edge of their seats,\" waiting for Santa Anita\'s announcement. But he made the comment after scheduling a second special phone meeting Jan. 17 at 9 a.m. to consider a waiver to the board\'s 2006 synthetic track mandate for Santa Anita this year. That regulation required that all major Thoroughbred tracks in the state install an all-weather racing surface by Jan. 1, 2008.

A waiver, if approved, would allow Santa Anita to replace the synthetic track with a conventional dirt racing surface. Santa Anita installed its Cushion Track last summer.

Charles, who was promoted Jan. 7 to chief operating officer of Magna Entertainment Corp., said it was good to have the license amendment in place while it deals with the Cushion Track problem. MEC owns Santa Anita, which is operated by the LATC.

Santa Anita canceled racing for three consecutive days Jan. 5-7 due to safety issues caused by the lack of drainage. It was the first time in Santa Anita\'s 71-year history that it postponed racing for three straight days. The Southern California track was hit by more than seven inches of rain during a four-day period that ended the morning of Jan. 7.

Shapiro said a full discussion of the Santa Anita predicament would be held during the board\'s regularly scheduled meeting Jan. 16 at Arcadia City Hall. He said the waiver proposal required a special meeting because it was not included on the agenda of the Jan. 16 session.

Charles said Santa Anita officials would meet with the California Thoroughbred Trainers and the Thoroughbred Owners of California in the next two days before announcing their contingency plan. He did not return a phone call seeking further comment.

Racing is expected to resume at Santa Anita Jan. 10.\"

[richiebee]

Delmar Deb Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

 
> A waiver, if approved, would allow Santa Anita to
> replace the synthetic track with a conventional
> dirt racing surface. Santa Anita installed its
> Cushion Track last summer.

Thanks, Delmar Deb, for keeping us all up to date.

Surprised there is no mention of the involvement of the Breeders Cup people
here, though they certainly must be watching this situation unfold with great
apprehension.

I am neither a supporter nor detractor of synthetic surfaces. About a year ago
on the TG board I suggested that either Belmont add a synthetic strip or that
Aqueduct replace the Inner Dirt course (which may be considered, along with
Calder\'s original main track, as the original synthetic surfaces) with a
synthetic surface. In each case the NYC tracks would be left with both a dirt
and a synth surface, leaving a lot of racing options and also providing a good
lab for side by side study of the surfaces.

I have no problem with the BC being run on a synthetic surface. It is probably
inevitable. If I had any vested interest in the future of racing over synthetic,
however, I would want the first synthetic BC to be run over a strip that was
both safe and weatherproof and which produced 2 days of racing that was both
safe and relatively formful.

BC people have to get involved here. I would imagine that if they expressed any
doubts regarding the SA synthetic, the CHRB and Santa Anita would be pushin the
cushion out of there in record time.

[girly]

Is it possible that Santa Anita just got screwed over by a contractor that did a substandard job of laying down the cushion track?

[Delmar Deb]

BC reaffirmed support for SA on Monday per article in either DRF or Bloodhorse.