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Visit the MIDDAY SCORES IN TDN Website: YORKSHIRE OAKS www.thoroughbreddailynews.com P3 FRIDAY, AUGUST 20, 2010 For information about TDN, call 732-747-8060. HORSEMEN LOBBY TO MOVE OAK TREE MEET CONVENTIONAL DIRT STRIP FOR SANTA ANITA Citing concerns over the safety of the track surface Frank Stronach told a gathering of 250 horsemen at at Santa Anita, Arnold Zetcher, chairman of the Thor- the Surfside Race Place wagering facility near Del Mar oughbred Owners of California, and John Sadler, presi- Wednesday night that Santa Anita will be getting rid of dent of the California its synthetic surface and installing a conventional dirt Thoroughbred Train- track prior to the start of its 2010-11 meeting. ers, went before the Stronach is the chairman of MI Developments, which California Horse Rac- owns and operates Santa Anita. He reiterated his posi- ing Board Thursday tion Thursday at the monthly meeting of the California to lobby that the Horse Racing Board. AI said from day one that I don=t Benoit Photo 2010 Oak Tree meet- like [the synthetic track]; it won=t work,@ Stronach ing be moved to Hol- remarked. AI would never again put one in at one of my lywood Park. As a result, the application before the racetracks.@ As for the proposed change of surface, he CHRB to run the meet at Santa Anita was denied by a said, AI have been personally involved [in the planning], unanimous vote, with one abstention. "It's just not because this means a lot to me; we have a great record worth taking a chance," Zetcher said. "Our conclusion on safety. We will immediately begin the engineering, is that the meet should move over to Hollywood. We and gathering the materials, for a new dirt track. I am know the history...but none of that makes a difference. committed to that. If Oak Tree runs, we would have all The only thing that makes a difference is if the track is the materials on hand the day after the last races, so safe for the horses and the jockeys." Earlier in the we can really speed up the process. I am sure that the session, Dr. Mick Peterson outlined the problems with track can be installed no later than the second week in the Santa Anita surface, including inconsistency in the December, so the horsemen have a chance to train over depth and hardness of the hard-pan layer, and the it. I am very confident [it will be ready in time for open- presence of rocks in the cushion. Sadler added, "There ing day, Dec. 26].@ Santa Anita must, however, apply were a lot of uncertainties in the report today, and we to the CHRB for permission to change back to conven- have a lot of the same concerns [as the TOC]." Sadler tional dirt. CHRB Chairman Keith Brackpool stated, AWe admitted there were trainers who didn't agree with the have to make absolutely sure that whatever we change move. "I think you'll find people are all over the board to is better than what we have.@ The application will be on this," he said. "There are certainly people who made during the CHRB=s September meeting. Cont. p2 disgree with us, and we haven't done any real polling. But [the CTT Board] was elected by the members, and this is our conclusion." Several trainers made state- ments defending Santa Anita's surface and track super- intendent Richard Tedesco, including Hall of Famer Richard Mandella, who is stabled at Santa Anita and is on the Oak Tree board. Howard Zucker remarked, "If Richard [Tedesco] is taking care of it, it's a safe track." Oak Tree now has to decide whether to try and con- vince all horsemen that the Santa Anita surface is safe, and proceed with the meet at that venue, or once again approach Hollywood. AWe will start immediately to try and work out something,@ Oak Tree Executive Vice President Sherwood Chillingworth said. AWe=re not going to dilly dally. It=s in our own best interests to do something as quickly as possible.@ Hollywood President Jack Liebau expressed serious concerns about the short amount of time left to organize the meet at his track, but also stated, "We are willing to do whatever is in the best interests of racing." Oak Tree was expected to schedule a special meeting with the CHRB within 10 days to make a final application regarding dates for the (859) 233-4252 Cont. p2 meet, which is set for Sept. 29-Oct. 31. www.claibornefarm.com TDN P HEADLINE NEWS • 8/20/10 • PAGE 2 of 10 • thoroughbreddailynews.com Oak Tree Meet cont. Dirt Track at Santa Anita cont. The Heart of the Controversy... The Horsemen Weigh In... Renovations to the current Pro-Ride surface, under- The horsemen were heavily in favor of the return to a taken to get it ready for the Oak Tree meet, uncovered dirt surface at Santa Anita. AI think it=s the right thing to several problems. The CHRB indepently retained Dr. do,@ trainer Ron Ellis said. ASanta Anita had a ton of Michael AMick@ Peterson, a professor at the University trouble with the synthetic tracks that they=ve installed. I of Maine and acknowledged expert on track surfaces, wish they could=ve been able to duplicate Hollywood=s to assess the Cushion surface--that=s a really good track. They tried situation, and he to, but couldn=t. I really like the Hollywood Park sur- outlined the face. They learned how to maintain and keep it good. problems he Santa Anita just never got it right. I think at this point, found, using it=s just so controversial that they=re a lot better off ground-penetrat- going back to dirt.@ ing radar, at Trainer Mike Mitchell was thrilled by Frank Stronach=s Thursday=s announcement. AWhen they first put meeting. AThe those [synthetic] tracks in, I loved goal is to pro- them,@ Mitchell offered. AI thought duce a consis- they were the greatest thing. But Pro-Ride surface Sarah K Andrew photo tent surface for now it=s clear to me that they the racehorse,@ change. The maintenance on them is Peterson said. AWhat I saw when we looked at the unbelievable, too--they tell you that ground-penetrating radar is that [the Santa Anita sur- they=re maintenance-free, but it=s the face] is deep on the turns and shallow around the finish total opposite. You have to work line. There is also an issue associated with the them harder than any dirt track and, chute...starting out of the chute, you want to make as the weather changes, they Mike Mitchell Benoit Photo sure there isn=t a sudden transition for the horse.@ He change. After three years, I=m just continued, AI also found that the track is deep on the tired of them.@ inside rail. My concern is the consistency of the hard- Mitchell continued, AI=m just speaking for me, but I=ve pan layer [under the cushion]--it should be of consistent also talked with a lot of horsemen, and I feel that the hardness if you are going to race over a track of this injuries have gotten worse. My hope is that Santa Anita kind. [Santa Anita=s] pan layer is inconsistent in depth would return to dirt, the racing would be successful on and hardness.@ Peterson also expressed some worry it, as far as safety, and that the other tracks would over the rocks that had migrated from the lower layer follow. I think the public hates them, of the track to the racing surface, and that Santa too--they=re hard to handicap and Anita=s Pro-Ride absorbed more moisture and didn=t hard to read. For our industry in drain as well as other synthetics. AI have significant Southern California, I really think that concerns about the track,@ he said, but added, AIf it=s best to go back to dirt.@ there=s a way to make it level and consistent [before Bob Baffert has avoided talking the Oak Tree meet starts], I believe it would address about the surface issue, but after the the issues. That=s up to the maintenance person to tell news broke about Santa Anita, he you if they can do it.@ Track superintendent Richard offered, AA lot of my clients were Tedesco was confident the surface would be in good very happy to hear the news. So Bob Baffert SKA Photo order for the Oak Tree meet. AIt would take two to many horses--and a lot of the major three weeks to stir up the surface and get it back into a owners--had left and just didn't come back. It's great consistent manner,@ Tedesco said. AAt this moment, we news for us.@ are addressing the problem [with the hard-pan layer]; we=ve exposed the membrane and are remediating it to make it a kinder and more consistent surface. I think TDN TODAY we can eliminate the problems.@ Headline News.................... 10 pages P TDN HEADLINE NEWS • 8/20/10 • PAGE 3 of 10 • thoroughbreddailynews.com RESULTS WHAT A DAY! There was drama at the start of yesterday=s G1 Darley Yorkshire Oaks, with Sariska (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) refusing to leave the stalls, which left her archrival Midday (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) to run away with the prize at the expense of the dual Oaks winner Snow Fairy (Ire) (Intikhab). Sent off the 11-4 third favor- ite of this trio of starlets, the homebred who had toyed with Stacelita (Fr) (Monsun {Ger}) in Goodwood's G1 Nassau S.