Arlington Park Not Horsing Around With Safety

By Benjy Lipsman in News on Dec 11, 2006 4:20PM

Chicagoist was a little confused at first when we read that Arlington Park would be replacing their natural dirt track surface with a synthetic one. As we all know, in most pro sports the fake turf is notorious for causing injuries and ending the careers of many an NFL player.

But when it comes to horse tracks, synthetic is actually the safer option for the animals. Since injuries for racehorses are fatal all too often, reducing injuries is critical. That's why Arlington will be spending upwards of $10 million to install a synthetic surface--a waxy composite of sand, rubber and fibers--in time for the open of the 2007 racing season. It will be the first synthetic track in the Midwest and just the fifth in the country.

Arlington had 21 horses die as a result of injuries on the track in 2006, and growing negative publicity over the fatalities. The trend throughout the sport seems to be an increase in injuries as more horses are being trained to race more frequently.

While the dirt tracks have less to do with the injuries than way the horses are trained, the switch to synthetic surfaces seems to damatically reduce injuries. Turfway Park in Kentucky became the first to install the new surface following a 2004 season that saw 24 horses die. After the new surface was installed, only three died the following season. Arlington clearly hopes the investment in the new track will be similarly beneficial.

Chicagoist hopes it is, too. While we're certainly not in the camp of animal activists who want zoos shut down and circuses banned, we don't like seeing animals needlessly suffer. In a sport that generates billions in revenue, we strongly believe that those who run the sport are obligated to invest in technologies that will improve the welfare of the animals. We hope Arlington is at the forefront a trend within the sport that will see all tracks changed so that the number of horse deaths can be minimized. Race horses' careers should end on a stud farm, not with a trip to the glue factory.

Photo by Gregory Morley via arlingtonpark.com