North American Experience with Synthetic Surfaces

Why Synthetic in North America?

• Issues with existing dirt surfaces– Inconsistent surfaces due to moisture and

temperature– Safety of horse and rider– Field size too low– Maintenance costs

NA Adopters of Synthetic

• Turfway Park (Sept 2005)• Woodbine (Sept 2006)• Keeneland (Oct 2006)• Hollywood Park (Nov 2006)• Arlington Park (May 2007)• Del Mar (July 2007)• Presque Isle (Sept 2007)• Santa Anita (Sept 2007)• Golden Gate (Nov 2007)

Synthetic Experience

• Improvement in # of races and field size

• Reduction in catastrophic injuries

• Maintenance cost saving

Issues• Unrealistic

expectations• Performance of

wax in extreme temps

• Learning curve for tracks, horsemen, players

Conclusions• For many North American tracks, synthetic

surfaces are a better option than dirt