Injuries: Bad Day on Polytrack

Posted by BarbaraAnne Helberg Oct 7, 2007

Polytrack, Cushion Track, synthetic all-weather surfaces. Are they safe?

Yesterday,Teuflesberg broke smoothly from the gate in the Phoenix Stakes. The Lexington course was Polytrack-ed two seasons ago.

The race time temperature was above 90 degrees Farenheit, a level at which Polytrack is more prone than normal to stickiness, a potential clogging danger to any competitor's hooves. Several furlongs into the race, Teu misstepped and pulled off stride.

Jockey Julien Leparoux quickly pulled Teu up and jumped off. Teuflesberg bolted free after his saddle was removed. Handlers brought him under control and were able to splint his left foreleg.

A later report said he would undergo ankle fusion surgery to save him for a comfortable life in pasture. He fractured both sesamoid bones. As we know from our experience with Barbaro's plight, Teuflesberg faces a fight for life; however, his injury is less formidable than Barbaro's catastrophically broken bones. The tragic threat of laminitis remains.

In the racing day's Lane's End Futurity, Gold Train misstepped and pulled up badly. Jockey Mark Guidry said he could hear the snapping of bones. Gold Train massively splintered both sesamoids in his right foreleg. Splinted, he was carried off by ambulance, but subsequent examination showed the hopeless extent of the breaks, and the decision to euthanize him was made immediately.

The day's first, and most horrendous, accident occurred in the preparatory paddock. Dream of Angels reared and flipped over backwards. She fractured her skull against a padded railing and bled profusely. There was no hope to save her. She was euthanized on the spot.

Are they safe?