Please don’t let a synthetic surface come to NY. I think the biggest benefit of synthetic tracks is that it puts alot of money into a very few pockets, and I am sure favors are given in return. Michael Dickinson who came up with the first such surface was genius beyond any out there now peddling the stuff.
Results from studies can be manipulated to get the results you want. You start by manipulating the parameters of the study. Ok so there may be less fron end injuries, but what else is more common instead? I can see training on it as a fallback in poor weather, but to race on, well, the bad things I have heard don’t seem to get written about or formally addressed in a study. The bad smell (the fumes you and the horses breath), the skin issues it causes for some horses, the increase in hind end injuries, and the greater damage jocks sustain when landing on it as opposed to landing on dirt, just to start for example.
I have never spent time around a synthetic track and I never will. I will never ever bet one either. But lucky me, I am primarily a turf bettor anyway. It’s all back door politics. I knew someone would be blowing sunshine up Cuomo’s you-know-what about it the second the state muscled control of NYRA. And they will sweeten his pot to do it.
Please, don’t let Belmont go synthetic. It won’t be the Triple Crown if it does. It will be a new animal, so to speak.
Racing on a blend of chopped up fibers and petroleum products is just not real.
Chris Kay seems like a down to earth guy for such a high power exec. What I do know is that he oversaw the ToysRUs buyout to an international firm and got paid 1.4million USD for it. The CEO got 65Million USD. Why? Hah! He also is a big time realestate/development lawyer. Yes, he was just head of the Land Trust, a good thing. But what exatly is his purpose here regarding the future of NYRA and specifically Aqueduct? Sounds like Cuomo has an agenda and Kay is his point man to get it done. Maybe a nice guy, but he is in league with the devil now. They have a sheep costume all ready for him, I fear.
Here is my prediction - Aqueduct gets closed, the racino becomes a full blown casino complex, and they put a synthetic surface on the training track at Belmont and viola! All problems solved...sure. Cuomo doesn’t care about horseracing and he never has. When did he ever place a bet or go to a track? Or Chris Kay for that matter?
Call me cynical if you like. I embrace the skeptic label.
Some of your information is positive and those changes I welcome. Thank you for this post. A bit of light is always welcome. Please continue to participate.