Synthetic surface deaths down, dart throwers rejoice

Well, I guess the evidence is overwhelming and indisputable now. Even though I hate horses and want more of them to die on the racetrack, even I can't argue with the facts. Synthetic tracks, the tire-recycling wave of the future, have now proven (read: not proven) to be unequivocally safer on thoroughbreds.

A study done in March on catastrophic injuries at racetracks by The Jockey Club and Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation found that there were 1.96 racehorse fatalities per 1,000 starts on dirt tracks and 1.95 per 1,000 on synthetic tracks. Though a small sample, eyebrows were raised by the results of the study, considering that, you know, synthetic tracks were supposed to be made of gumdrops and rainbows and shit like that.

Revision to that study though, shows that the numbers are actually 2.02 per 1,000 on dirt and 1.47 per 1,000 on synthetics. And although Mary Scollay, who oversaw the study, says that "it is important to remember that these fatality rates are just a snapshot in time from a less-than-statistically-significant number of tracks, and cannot be considered scientifically conclusive at this point", I'm sure that's just propagandistic jargon from the dirt-loving, puppy-killing, stodgy old fart contingent of horseplayers that's still out of touch enough to enjoy dirt racing.

If you don't think the synthetic advocate clowns will latch on to these numbers and shove them down the throat of us old-fashioned handicappers, you're sadly mistaken. People that have managed to attach themselves so devoutly to an unproven and haphazard "solution" to the dangers of thoroughbred racing won't be swayed by reason or mitigating factors. They want stats, and these will do quite nicely.

Personally, I think that sooner rather than later, it's just going to be Belmont, Saratoga and Churchill (at least as far as big-time tracks go) that run on pure dirt tracks, which is fine with me. Less places to waste my money. It sucks though, that the average handicapper isn't more discriminating with his or her dollar. I've heard tons of people complain about the unpredictability and turf-like performance of synthetic surfaces, but I certainly haven't seen many handle plunges to coincide with the ostensible outrage.

Anyway, so concludes my obligatory rant about the synthetic takeover and its devoted following of knee-jerk roulette lovers. Back to Derby talk as soon as possible.

Review: Racetrack Fatality Ratio Changes [Bloodhorse]