As the racing season enters the home stretch at Arlington Park, there is no sure bet on whether the artificial surface used since 2007 is the reason for a drop in the number of horses that were euthanized because of injuries.
But following devastating injuries at the track this year to jockeys Rene Douglas and Michael Straight, some are wondering whether the synthetic surface makes for a rougher landing.
“The jockeys’ concern was that the surface wasn’t tested for humans when they fall on it,” said Jerry LaSala, a rider as well as the local representative and national treasurer of The Jockeys’ Guild.
“They’re not scared to ride. They’re scared if they fall. They’re wondering if they’re going to be the next Rene Douglas or Michael Straight. … Two guys in four months [on the synthetic Polytrack surface], that’s a scary feeling.”
Arlington Park President Roy Arnold shared the concern for injured jockeys but said racing is a dangerous sport no matter what surface the horses run on.
“Even if you fall on the most forgiving surface, you may lose your life,” he said.
Pointing to the decline in injuries to horses since the synthetic track was installed, Arnold said the best way to keep riders safe is to keep their mounts safe.
In 2006, 22 horses were euthanized after injuries at Arlington Park. After the Polytrack surface was installed the following year, there were 14 “fatal breakdowns” involving injuries on the synthetic surface; two others took place on Arlington’s turf track, according to the Illinois Racing Board.
In 2008, 12 fatal breakdowns were reported on the synthetic track, four on turf. So far this year, with races ending on Sept. 27, 14 breakdowns have occurred on the synthetic track and none on the turf.
Arnold and others in the industry say that riding thoroughbred racehorses 12 months a year is akin to playing Russian roulette. Sooner or later a horse, which weighs more than 1,000 pounds, will go down while traveling in close quarters.
“If a human body comes off a horse at 35 m.p.h., what as a track do you want me to do to prevent injury?” Arnold said. “The way to make jockeys safer is reduce the threat of injury to the horse.”
Six-time Arlington jockey champion Rene Douglas went down May 23 when Born to Be, his mount in the Arlington Matron Handicap, was bumped and clipped heels while emerging from the stretch turn. Douglas landed on the Polytrack surface, and the horse fell on top of him.
Late that night, Douglas underwent seven hours of spinal surgery; his injuries have left him paralyzed.
On Aug. 26, the second catastrophic fall occurred. Straight, 23, was riding I’m No Gentleman when the gelding appeared to clip the heels of another horse and went down. Straight had a flexible rod inserted in his spine but remains paralyzed.
Straight’s identical twin brother and fellow jockey, Matthew, traveled from Kentucky’s Ellis Park this month to provide support.
“Mike is completely off sedatives,” his brother said. “He’s stable and hanging in there. It’s going to be a long road to recovery, but with the continued thoughts and prayers for our family we’ll get through. Once he is able to communicate, it will make everything better.” Jockeys at every track in the nation were asked by the Jockeys’ Guild to donate one mount fee for Michael Straight. An Arlington autograph session on Sept. 5 raised $5,000 to help defray medical expenses. A few trainers and owners made private donations.
“Mike going down is kind of a reality check, but I’ve wanted [ride horses for a living] for so long,” Matthew Straight said. “We all know what we’ve signed up for. We all know the risk. Unfortunately, one of the worst things that could happen to a jockey happened to my brother.”
The jury is still out on the safety question, because artificial surfaces such as the one at Arlington are so new, experts say. They have been installed in Kentucky, at Keeneland and Turfway Park; in Southern California, at Santa Anita, Hollywood Park and Del Mar; and at a few other tracks.
Data released in 2008 from 2,235 injury reports showed virtually no difference in the fatality rates for horses racing on synthetic surfaces compared with conventional dirt. The information was presented at a safety summit at Keeneland.
Among 61 permanently disabled jockeys were Ron Turcotte, who rode Secretariat to the Triple Crown in 1973, and Jackie Fires, younger brother of the retired Hall of Fame jockey Earlie Fires, who is Arlington’s all-time leading rider.
At that time, none of the permanently disabled had been injured on synthetic surfaces, officials said.
“I rode in more than 10,000 races [and won 1,792 before retiring because of chronic knee problems] and never broke a bone in my body,” said Wayne Catalano, who is on his way to his seventh Arlington training title in the last eight years.
“It’s just a matter of how you fall. I’ve seen kids have horrible falls and walk away. The way [Douglas and Michael Straight] went down, I think there would have been problems on any surface.”
In Catalano’s opinion, a wet, slippery dirt track that is thawing out is the most dangerous surface.
“I was leery of those kind of tracks,” he said. “You hit the bottom, and it’s frozen, and there’s ice underneath. You don’t have that at Arlington because they race in the summer.”
Catalano said he believes the most perilous part of the race is the start.
“You have a starting gate at every racetrack — whether it’s Polytrack, turf, dirt or slop — and it’s one of the most dangerous spots you can be in. You’ve got the steel gate, those animals are in there, and you have a little spot. When you get in there, you want out.”
The Jockeys’ Guild’s national manager, Terry Meyocks, said there were concerns because of the injuries to Douglas and Straight, but it is too early to reach conclusions about synthetic surfaces.
Meyocks praised the Arlington Park management team.
“The people at Arlington Park always have tried to do the right thing with regard to the safety of the horse and the rider,” he said.
Another staunch supporter of Arlington Park’s team is Earlie Fires, who rode on the Polytrack for two summers before retiring last year.
“I loved riding on it,” he said, “but I didn’t fall on it.”
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jjlong@tribune.com
