Polytrack makes US debut

Regal Reproach earned a place in horse racing trivia September 7. The Polytrack surface which made its United States racing debut earned positive feedback from everyone involved.

“We have universal praise for the surface from riders, from trainers, our exercise riders,” said Bob Elliston, the president and chief executive officer of Turfway Park in Florence, KY.

Turfway Park opened a 22-day meet September 7, becoming the first United States track to hold races on the Polytrack synthetic surface which was first introduced in England in 1987. The first race of the meet was a one-mile starter allowance race. Nine horses competed in the first American race on the wax-coated Polytrack comprised of polypropylene fibers, recycled rubber and silica sand. Regal Reproach and jockey Inosencio Diego won the race with a time of 1:40.72.

The winning trainer of the first American race on Polytrack was Eric Reed. “Horses really take to this surface,” Reed told Turfway Park media after the race. “The time was faster than I expected. He took hold a lot better than he did previously on dirt.”

Even the last-place jockey had praise for Polytrack. “It’s really safe,” said Jesus Castanon, who rode Mach Speed. “Look how clean my silks are. That tells the tale right there. It’s like riding in snow flurries.”

Polytrack was created by Martin Collins Enterprises, which develops synthetic racing surfaces for racecourses and thoroughbred training facilities. The first Polytrack facility was installed at Richard Hannon’s gallop in Wiltshire, and in 2001 England’s Lingfield Park Racecourse opened with a new Polytrack surface.

Polytrack consists of multiple layers. The top layer, which is approximately seven inches deep, consists of the polypropylene, rubber, and silica sand.

The sand requirements mean that not even Southern California’s Del Mar track associated with the slogan (and the Bing Crosby song) “where the turf meets the surf” is guaranteed adequate sand for a Polytrack surface.

“You have to get the right sand,” said Joe Harper, the general manager of the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club. “We found some. We’re trying to find enough.”

The polypropylene fibers are cut at various lengths, mixed with the other materials, and coated with wax. That allows the surface to remain in place even after heavy use or significant climate changes. The seven inches of the top layer are harrowed loosely on the top and compacted on the bottom.

Underneath the Polytrack layer is a base consisting of eight inches of gravel and two inches of asphalt. The drainage portion uses longitudinal drains and cross drains, so water flows vertically through the materials through the drainage system which carries water away from the track as opposed to the horizontal draining of conventional dirt tracks which can compromise the track’s condition.

“I can’t mess it up, which is nice,” Elliston said.

Although the Turfway Park track has a 2 1/2-degree bank, the new surface prevents the dirt from forming a crown. Wetting down the surface can be performed without fear of creating too deep a surface or too hard a surface.

“I think the Polytrack is the future of racing, certainly here at Del Mar,” Harper said.

Del Mar’s 2005 meet closed on September 7, the day the Turfway Park meet opened. Harper estimated a 50 percent chance of Del Mar having Polytrack for its 2006 meet. “We’d love to do it,” he said. “We want to make sure we do it the right way.”

Polytrack actually made its American debut on the 5/8-mile training track at Keeneland in 2004. Keeneland Association is an ownership partner in Turfway Park. “We were keenly interested in that and watched it go through last winter and saw the tremendous success it had,” Elliston said of Keeneland’s use of Polytrack.

Unlike Del Mar, which is a summer meet and usually experiences little more than drizzle if any precipitation at all, Turfway Park is more susceptible to adverse weather. Although races will be run in the rain, if the track is freezing or thawing it becomes uneven and Turfway Park has had to cancel days of races during its winter meets.

Planning for the Polytrack surface at Turfway Park began in April, and ground was broken May 15. The surface was in place by August 1. The cost to resurface Turfway Park’s one-mile track is proprietary, although Harper estimated a $5 million cost for Del Mar’s dirt track.

The Turfway Park completion allowed for exhibition races on August 24. Two weeks later the first actual races were held.

“We learn every single day,” Elliston said.

Turfway Park will be keeping track of winning times, positions prior to taking the lead, and other data to determine if any changes in results from the traditional dirt track can be attributed to the new surface. “We can track it each day and learn from it,” Elliston said.

In the sixth race September 7, jockey Dane Kobiskie came from behind to win on Best Bird. “Even though I was running second early, there was no kickback. It’s consistent to speed horses and closers and I love to ride over it. It’s the most even track in the country,” Kobiskie said.

Because the cushioning provides secure footing, leg and back injuries are expected to be reduced. That will likely increase field sizes as trainers will be more willing to enter various races, and if horses can run more frequently due to the reduced surface stress the field size will also likely increase from that cause. “It’s good business for us,” Elliston said.

The surface also reduces heat in a horse’s ankles and legs. “We’re excited about the potential about how kind it is to the horse,” Elliston said.

The cushioning means that horses may have to exert greater effort. “One thing we’re finding is you need to have a fit horse to run on this surface. It can be a trying surface for who are not at optimum fitness,” Elliston said.

The period between the installation and the first race included Hurricane Katrina’s arrival. That dropped three inches of rain onto the Kentucky track, and while the surface was darker after the rainfall the track surface didn’t behave any differently than before the rain.

Scientists in Europe have determined that the ingredients in the Polytrack surface are safe for horses if ingested. Manure will break down the surface and dry out the wax coating over a period of time, so removal of manure from the surface is recommended. If the surface is properly maintained it will require refreshment every five to seven years, although the range will vary depending on frequency of use and exposure to the elements.

The Southern California thoroughbred racing circuit has three tracks along with a fair meet. In addition to Del Mar, representatives from the other two Southern California tracks have visited Turfway Park, as have representatives from training facilities in Southern California. “We’re sharing information with them as it becomes available,” Elliston said.

Harper said that the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club will evaluate the Turfway Park meet before making a decision. “We’d like to look at the results from Turfway, but from everything we’ve seen and talked to the trainers it’s all been positive,” Harper said.

Turfway Park only has a dirt course while Del Mar has both a dirt track and a turf course. Del Mar’s plans include widening the turf course to meet the requirements to host a Breeder’s Cup, and it is possible that the Polytrack surface would be installed in conjunction with the widening of the turf course. Harper said that widening of the turf course was not likely before the July 19 start of Del Mar’s 2006 meet.

Harper noted that beginning installation of Polytrack as soon as possible after the conclusion of a meet would allow more opportunities to have horses on the new surface between meets. “I think we need to ideally get as many horses on it as we can,” he said.