Del Mar’s Track Surface Faces Scrutiny

After the closing of Del Mar’s track for surface repairs on Thursday morning, many are left wondering if the track surface is a benefit to the horses racing on it, or an injury waiting to happen. The track reopened in time for Thursday’s eight-race card, but morning track workouts were mostly cancelled.

Track officials commented that the track was closed to repair inconsistencies on the surface. The track has a Polytrack synthetic surface made from sand, fiber, rubber, and wax that is supposed to simulate a dirt surface while being easier on the horses’ legs.

The track had already scheduled a rototilling procedure to address the issue, but moved the repairs up earlier out of necessity. The track had its first race of the season on the day before the problems arose.

The questions remain surrounding the topic: is the Del Mar surface safe for horses? If the track needed repairs after only one day of races, how often will these repairs need to be conducted in the future?