Real debate on synthetic track: Many prominent trainers don't like Santa Anita

Nov 06, 2009 (Albany Times Union - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- CHDN | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating -- ARCADIA, Calif. -- The track at Santa Anita looks like the racetrack at Saratoga or Belmont or Churchill Downs. It looks like dirt. But it isn't.

Horses running in the 26th Breeders' Cup this weekend will not have to beat only each other in the 14 championship races, but they'll also have to beat the funky surface, which is anything but the conventional dirt used since racing began.

All three California tracks have had synthetic tracks since 2006, and the intention was to enhance the safety of horses and riders.

At the recently concluded Del Mar summer meet, 12 horses were put down in 37 racing dates. Three riders were seriously hurt recently after spills on synthetic tracks, including East Greenbush's Michael Straight at Arlington, outside of Chicago, on Aug. 26.

The Pro-Ride surface here -- made up of graded sands and patented polymeric binder -- has only kept horses away for what is known as racing's biggest day.

Jess Jackson, the owner of Rachel Alexandra, won't bring the prized filly here because of the track. Last year, he watched Horse of the Year Curlin finish fourth on the Pro-Ride. Trainer Nick Zito doesn't even bother coming to these events if they are going to make horses run on surfaces that, Zito says, are made out of things you use for insulation in your attic.

D. Wayne Lukas, the all-time Breeders' Cup leader in starters, wins and money won, hasn't been seen here all week. He wants no part of synthetic tracks for his top 2-year-old Dublin.

"It's not a good racetrack," Lukas said. "It makes good horses average and average horses good. Artificial surfaces are just so unpredictable. You'll see some real reversals of form on it. If I don't run in the Breeders' Cup, he doesn't have to run on artificial surfaces for the rest of his life. And, as long as I make the decisions, he never will."

Instead, Dublin, who won the Hopeful at Saratoga and then finished fifth at the Champagne at Belmont, went to Churchill Downs for the $100,000 Iroquois Stakes and finished seventh as the even money favorite. His past three races all came on dirt tracks.

The synthetic track out here is said to favor horses who have had success on the turf because the Pro-Ride is closer to that surface than dirt. Last year in the Classic, European grass horses ran 1-2 in the Classic.

The previous 24 editions of the Breeders' Cup all have been held on traditional dirt tracks. The change to the synthetic surfaces have been met with resistance from horsemen around the country. Even John Shirreffs, the trainer of Breeders' Cup Classic morning-line favorite Zenyatta, said he doesn't like them, and his mare has won all 12 of her starts on synthetics.

"I think it should be on dirt all the time," said Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert. "I just deal with them. There are certain horses who like them and certain horses who don't."

Baffert's opinion is that the Pro-Ride at Santa Anita plays more honest and more like dirt if the surface constantly is watered down.

Besides Zenyatta, other horses in the Classic field have had success on synthetics. Mine That Bird and Colonel John each won four races on synthetic tracks, but they also have been defeated on them. European runners Rip Van Winkle and Twice Over are solid grass horses who would figure to move up on synthetic.

And don't forget American turf horse Gio Ponti, the Arlington Million winner, who has won four Grade I turf races this year.

"A horse that has synthetic form has an advantage over those who have never been on them," said California-based trainer John Sadler, who has won meet titles at Del Mar and Santa Anita. "With racing, you are always going to have injuries. I have won a lot of races on synthetic tracks."

And with synthetic tracks, trainers have a built in excuse if their horses don't fare well in their Breeders' Cup races: They just didn't like the surface. That one will be heard more than once today and Saturday.

Tim Wilkin can be reached at 454-5415 or by e-mail at twilkin@timesunion.com.

At a glance

What: The 26th Breeders' Cup

When: Friday, Saturday

Where: Santa Anita Park, Arcadia, Calif.

Television: Friday, 3:30-7 p.m. (ESPN2); Saturday, 1:30-3:30 p.m. (ABC-10) and 3:30-7 p.m. (ESPN)

Breeders' Cup Classic post time: Saturday, 6:45 p.m.

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