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Dirt or Synthetic
Track
05/07/08 MRC/CJ
Stung by on-track
breakdowns of a Kentucky Derby winner two years ago and
this year's runner-up, the racing industry is trying to
prevent the gloom that overtook Churchill Downs on
Saturday from spreading over the entire sport.
Industry leaders said
Monday that there is no quick fix to avoid breakdowns like
the one that led to Derby runner-up Eight Belles being
euthanized on Churchill Down’s dirt track just minutes
after she crossed the finish line.
A fuller explanation of
what happened could come by the end of the week with the
first results of a necropsy, according to Lisa Underwood,
executive director of the Kentucky Horse Racing Authority.
Industry leaders say the
best hope for reducing breakdowns is research into horse
durability and racing surfaces.
The Florida veterinarian
overseeing racing's first large-scale, on-track breakdown
reporting system says early results indicate fewer
catastrophic injuries on synthetic courses than dirt, but
she said it's too early to say if the results are
meaningful.
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