Polytrack
Encyclopedia
A synthetic racetrack surface is any kind of surface substance that replaces grass, dirt or sand as the racing surface on a horse racing
track. Synthetic surfaces may be desirable over traditional surfaces for several reasons, most prominently the reduction of injuries and possible deaths to horses because of less wear and tear on their legs (although the statistical evidence thus far is not definitive), and consistent racing conditions in inclement weather. Manufacturers of synthetic racetrack surface materials promote the fact that synthetic tracks have drainage attributes that are better than natural surfaces, which makes tracks to be rated as fast under circumstances that would normally result in sloppy, slow or muddy conditions. In other situations such as cold weather, These surfaces allow racing to be continued when it might otherwise be canceled.
The first synthetic surface ever to be used for thoroughbred racing was not a replacement for dirt, but instead for turf (grass). Tropical Park
's Tartan turf, a synthetic surface similar to Astroturf
, was installed in 1966 and used as an alternate inside turf track for several seasons. Tartan turf was never a success with horsemen. Since then, there has been no known artificial turf track surface put into use at a public track.
The first synthetic surface to replace dirt was installed at Remington Park
in Oklahoma City
in 1988. This surface, called Equitrack, was found to be unsatisfactory and removed and replaced with a traditional dirt surface in 1991 after maintenance difficulties and complaints from horsemen.
Mainland Australia can experience temperatures ranging from -5C/23F to above 50C/122F as well as seasonal flood events and extended “Heat-Wave” periods that can last up to a month.
In 1998 researchers at Pro-Ride Racing made the discovery that the use of wax as a binder for synthetic tracks would not work in the Australian Climate. The extreme heat would cause the wax to melt and sink to the bottom of the footing, in some cases blocking the drainage system below the synthetic track.
Four types of synthetic horse racing & training tracks have been installed on Mainland Australia to date: Thorough-Track, Cushion Track, Viscoride and Pro-Ride®.
Thorough-Track, Cushion Track and Viscoride (All wax based) are no longer installing tracks on Mainland Australia due to their product failing to maintain viscosity under the harsh Mainland Australian conditions.
The only synthetic horse racing tracks that have been installed on Mainland Australia recently is the Non-Wax based Pro-Ride® surface.
Recently Wax-Based tracks at Geelong (Mainland Australia), Cranbourne (Mainland Australia) and Flemington (Mainland Australia) have been replaced with the Pro-Ride® Non-Wax formula.
Issues with Wax-Based Synthetic tracks have also been noticed in other areas of the world where the climate is warmer – Rebecca Dynon (Stiriline Racing 2010 Award Winner) inspected a wax-based synthetic track at the Singapore Race Club and presented her findings at the 2011 ARMA Conference on the 15th August 2011.
Rebecca reported that if the ambient temperature was above 27 deg C/80 deg F then that track temperature would exceed 40 deg C/104 deg F and cause the track to become soft. The track would then need to be watered to reduce the surface temperature by 2-3 deg C/25-27 deg F. Rebecca also reported that water would need to be applied if the ambient temperature fell below 0 deg C/32 deg F to soften the track as it would become firm.
surface, much as "Kleenex
" is often used to refer to any facial tissue
, or "Hoover
" in relation to any vacuum cleaner
.
Polytrack has the texture of natural dirt but is lighter in color. It is a mixture of silica sand (80-90%), recycled synthetic fibers (carpet & spandex) and recycled rubber. In cold climates, the mixture may also include jelly cable (plastic insulation from copper phone wire). The entire mixture is coated with wax.
Polytrack makes up approximately the top seven inches of the racing surface, and requires an extensive drainage system before it is applied. The existing dirt surface is removed first, and a system of pipes is installed. Crushed rock comes next, then a layer of porous macadam
, followed by the synthetic. The maintenance program requires regular removal of manure because, over an extended period of time, manure will break down the Polytrack surface and dry out the wax coating.
To date it has been installed at:
To date it has been installed at:
Santa Anita Park sued Cushion Track Footing and its related company, Equestrian Surfaces International, in 2008. In the lawsuit, Santa Anita claimed that Cushion Track used a "fine, silt-like sand that contributed to the failure of the track surface." Santa Anita had to cancel 11 days of racing due to poor drainage. Brett Thomson of Contour Consulting Engineers said that Santa Anita rushed to build the track and put it down wrong, installing asphalt underneath the Cushion Track as opposed to a membrane. The asphalt became clogged by sand and subsequently broke up when maintenance workers tried to power wash it to open up drainage pockets. The asphalt became a further problem when the broken pieces rose to the surface and forced some jockeys to wear protective plastic shields over their faces to block pieces kicked up by horses in front of them.
To date it has been installed at:
This was the starting point of the development of the world's first polymeric binding system. A system that could control the viscosity (stability), be more elastic with shock absorbing cushion and provide a more consistent and safer footing than the wax technology that was currently being used around the world. Pro-Ride® is the only synthetic footing that does not make use of wax as a binder.
This breakthrough in binder technology has set Pro-Ride® apart from its competitors.
Pro-Ride Racing offers a complete Maintenance Program, taking full responsibility for both the performance and condition of the track.
The program covers all materials (additional binder and fibre as and when required) as well as deep mixing to maintain the track’s density, consistency and infiltration rates as per the benchmarks and Key Performance Indicators set at the time of installation.
Currently Pro-Ride is responsible for the maintenance of synthetic tracks at the following Race Clubs:
Pro-Ride Racing has installed & maintains training footings at the following Private Training centres:
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
track. Synthetic surfaces may be desirable over traditional surfaces for several reasons, most prominently the reduction of injuries and possible deaths to horses because of less wear and tear on their legs (although the statistical evidence thus far is not definitive), and consistent racing conditions in inclement weather. Manufacturers of synthetic racetrack surface materials promote the fact that synthetic tracks have drainage attributes that are better than natural surfaces, which makes tracks to be rated as fast under circumstances that would normally result in sloppy, slow or muddy conditions. In other situations such as cold weather, These surfaces allow racing to be continued when it might otherwise be canceled.
The first synthetic surface ever to be used for thoroughbred racing was not a replacement for dirt, but instead for turf (grass). Tropical Park
Tropical Park Race Track
Tropical Park Race Track was a horse racing facility built on at the current intersection of Bird Road and the Palmetto Expressway in metropolitan Miami, Florida, in what is now the neighborhood of Olympia Heights. The race track was built by Bill Dwyer, a prohibition era bootlegger, and Frank...
's Tartan turf, a synthetic surface similar to Astroturf
AstroTurf
AstroTurf is a brand of artificial turf. Although the term is a registered trademark, it is sometimes used as a generic description of any kind of artificial turf. The original AstroTurf product was a short pile synthetic turf while the current products incorporate modern features such as...
, was installed in 1966 and used as an alternate inside turf track for several seasons. Tartan turf was never a success with horsemen. Since then, there has been no known artificial turf track surface put into use at a public track.
The first synthetic surface to replace dirt was installed at Remington Park
Remington Park
Remington Park is a horse racing track and casino located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Built in 1988, it was the first world-class pari-mutuel track in Oklahoma. Remington Park was built by the late Edward J. DeBartolo Sr., the shopping mall developer who also owned Thistledown in Cleveland, Ohio...
in Oklahoma City
Oklahoma city
Oklahoma City is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma.Oklahoma City may also refer to:*Oklahoma City metropolitan area*Downtown Oklahoma City*Uptown Oklahoma City*Oklahoma City bombing*Oklahoma City National Memorial...
in 1988. This surface, called Equitrack, was found to be unsatisfactory and removed and replaced with a traditional dirt surface in 1991 after maintenance difficulties and complaints from horsemen.
Current types of synthetic surface materials
There are several companies that produce and build synthetic tracks, but with minor variations the process and materials used are basically the same. A unique type of foundation that allows vertical drainage is the key feature of all installations.Synthetic Surfaces for Mainland Australia
Mainland Australia has a very different climate to Europe and America and for this reason the materials used to manufacture synthetic horse racing tracks must be altered to suit the Mainland Australian climate.Mainland Australia can experience temperatures ranging from -5C/23F to above 50C/122F as well as seasonal flood events and extended “Heat-Wave” periods that can last up to a month.
In 1998 researchers at Pro-Ride Racing made the discovery that the use of wax as a binder for synthetic tracks would not work in the Australian Climate. The extreme heat would cause the wax to melt and sink to the bottom of the footing, in some cases blocking the drainage system below the synthetic track.
Four types of synthetic horse racing & training tracks have been installed on Mainland Australia to date: Thorough-Track, Cushion Track, Viscoride and Pro-Ride®.
Thorough-Track, Cushion Track and Viscoride (All wax based) are no longer installing tracks on Mainland Australia due to their product failing to maintain viscosity under the harsh Mainland Australian conditions.
The only synthetic horse racing tracks that have been installed on Mainland Australia recently is the Non-Wax based Pro-Ride® surface.
Recently Wax-Based tracks at Geelong (Mainland Australia), Cranbourne (Mainland Australia) and Flemington (Mainland Australia) have been replaced with the Pro-Ride® Non-Wax formula.
Issues with Wax-Based Synthetic tracks have also been noticed in other areas of the world where the climate is warmer – Rebecca Dynon (Stiriline Racing 2010 Award Winner) inspected a wax-based synthetic track at the Singapore Race Club and presented her findings at the 2011 ARMA Conference on the 15th August 2011.
Rebecca reported that if the ambient temperature was above 27 deg C/80 deg F then that track temperature would exceed 40 deg C/104 deg F and cause the track to become soft. The track would then need to be watered to reduce the surface temperature by 2-3 deg C/25-27 deg F. Rebecca also reported that water would need to be applied if the ambient temperature fell below 0 deg C/32 deg F to soften the track as it would become firm.
Polytrack
Polytrack has now become synonymous with synthetic racing surfaces. In practice, the term might refer to any kind of synthetic horse racingHorse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
surface, much as "Kleenex
Kleenex
Kleenex is a brand name for a variety of toiletry paper-based products such as facial tissue, bathroom tissue, paper towels, and diapers. The name Kleenex is a registered trademark of Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc. Often used as a genericized trademark, especially in the United States, "Kleenex"...
" is often used to refer to any facial tissue
Facial tissue
Facial tissue and paper handkerchief refers to a class of soft, absorbent, disposable papers that is suitable for use on the face. They are disposable alternatives for cloth handkerchiefs...
, or "Hoover
Hoover
Hoover is a surname: Hoover is a variant spelling of the German Huber, a status name for a landowner or a prosperous small farmer.Hoover may refer to:- People :* Herbert Hoover, 31st President of the United States...
" in relation to any vacuum cleaner
Vacuum cleaner
A vacuum cleaner, commonly referred to as a "vacuum," is a device that uses an air pump to create a partial vacuum to suck up dust and dirt, usually from floors, and optionally from other surfaces as well. The dirt is collected by either a dustbag or a cyclone for later disposal...
.
Polytrack has the texture of natural dirt but is lighter in color. It is a mixture of silica sand (80-90%), recycled synthetic fibers (carpet & spandex) and recycled rubber. In cold climates, the mixture may also include jelly cable (plastic insulation from copper phone wire). The entire mixture is coated with wax.
Polytrack makes up approximately the top seven inches of the racing surface, and requires an extensive drainage system before it is applied. The existing dirt surface is removed first, and a system of pipes is installed. Crushed rock comes next, then a layer of porous macadam
Macadam
Macadam is a type of road construction pioneered by the Scotsman John Loudon McAdam in around 1820. The method simplified what had been considered state-of-the-art at that point...
, followed by the synthetic. The maintenance program requires regular removal of manure because, over an extended period of time, manure will break down the Polytrack surface and dry out the wax coating.
To date it has been installed at:
- Arlington ParkArlington ParkArlington Park is a horse race track in the Chicago suburb of Arlington Heights, Illinois. Horse racing in the Chicago region has been a popular sport since the early days of the city in the 1830s, and at one time Chicago had more horse racing tracks than any other major metropolitan area...
(USA) - Del Mar RacetrackDel Mar RacetrackDel Mar Racetrack is an American Thoroughbred horse racing track at the Del Mar Fairgrounds in the seaside city of Del Mar, California, 20 miles north of San Diego. Operated by the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, it is known for the slogan: "Where The Turf Meets The Surf." It was built by a partnership...
(USA) - Keeneland Race Course (USA)
- Turfway ParkTurfway ParkTurfway Park is an American horse racing track located just outside the city limits to the north of Florence, Kentucky, about 10 miles south of the Ohio River at Cincinnati...
(USA) - Woodbine RacetrackWoodbine RacetrackWoodbine Racetrack is a Canadian racetrack for Thoroughbred horse races located at 555 Rexdale Blvd. in the city of Toronto, Ontario. It is the only horseracing track in North America which stages, or is capable of staging, thoroughbred and standardbred horseracing programs on the same day...
(CanadaCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
) - Kempton Park RacecourseKempton Park RacecourseKempton Park Racecourse is a horse racing track in Sunbury-on-Thames, Surrey, England, which is a western suburb of London 16 miles from the city centre. The site is set in of land....
(UK) - Lingfield Park Racecourse (UK) (2001/2002)
- Wolverhampton RacecourseWolverhampton RacecourseWolverhampton Racecourse is a thoroughbred horse racing venue located in Wolverhampton, West Midlands, England. The track was the first to be floodlit in Britain and often holds meetings in the evening....
(UK) - Great Leighs RacecourseGreat Leighs RacecourseGreat Leighs Racecourse is a thoroughbred horse racing venue located in Great Leighs near Chelmsford, Essex, England. When it opened in April 2008 it was the first completely new racecourse in the UK since Taunton opened in 1927...
(UK) - Dundalk StadiumDundalk StadiumDundalk Stadium is a horse and greyhound racing venue in Ireland. It is located to the north of Dundalk in County Louth. The course is a floodlit 1¼ mile left-handed oval, and races are run on an all-weather Polytrack surface....
(IrelandIrelandIreland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
) - KranjiKranjiKranji is a suburb in northwestern Singapore, located about from the city centre.-Etymology:Kranji is named after a local tree, the kranji or keranji . Its abundance has rapidly dwindled since the first half of the nineteenth century.-History:The first Singapore-Kranji railway from Tank Road to...
(SingaporeSingaporeSingapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
) - Cagnes Sur Mer (FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
) - IstanbulIstanbulIstanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
(TurkeyTurkeyTurkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
) - MarseilleMarseilleMarseille , known in antiquity as Massalia , is the second largest city in France, after Paris, with a population of 852,395 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Marseille extends beyond the city limits with a population of over 1,420,000 on an area of...
(FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
) - Toowoomba (AustraliaAustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
)
Tapeta Footings
Tapeta Footings consists of sand, fiber, rubber and a unique brand of wax. Tapeta uses pre-consumer fibers, not recycled, due to their claims that second-hand waste material breaks down after only about 12 weeks. The Tapeta mix makes up the top 4-7 inches of the racing surface, followed by either porous asphalt or a geotextile membrane, which separates the porous base from the top layer.To date it has been installed at:
- Golden Gate FieldsGolden Gate FieldsGolden Gate Fields is an American horse racing track straddling both Albany, California and Berkeley, California along the shoreline of San Francisco Bay adjacent to the Eastshore Freeway in the San Francisco Bay Area...
(USA) - Presque Isle DownsPresque Isle DownsPresque Isle Downs and Casino is a casino and horse racing track complex located south of Erie, Pennsylvania. The owner, MTR Gaming Group, broke ground in October 2005 for its new facility, which opened on February 28, 2007. It contains 2,000 slot machines. The oval track opened on September 2,...
(USA) - Meydan RacecourseMeydan RacecourseMeydan Racecourse is able to accommodate over 60,000 spectators in a 1 mile long grandstand. When not used for races it will serve as a business and conference integrated facility. A horse racing museum and gallery are also planned...
(UAE) - Al Quoz (UAE)
Cushion Track
Cushion Track is a mixture of two grades of sand, synthetic fibers, elastic fiber, and granulated rubber. The material is coated with a blend of wax. Cushion Track makes up approximately the top nine inches of the racing surface, followed by a geotextile membrane which separates the porous base from the top layer.Santa Anita Park sued Cushion Track Footing and its related company, Equestrian Surfaces International, in 2008. In the lawsuit, Santa Anita claimed that Cushion Track used a "fine, silt-like sand that contributed to the failure of the track surface." Santa Anita had to cancel 11 days of racing due to poor drainage. Brett Thomson of Contour Consulting Engineers said that Santa Anita rushed to build the track and put it down wrong, installing asphalt underneath the Cushion Track as opposed to a membrane. The asphalt became clogged by sand and subsequently broke up when maintenance workers tried to power wash it to open up drainage pockets. The asphalt became a further problem when the broken pieces rose to the surface and forced some jockeys to wear protective plastic shields over their faces to block pieces kicked up by horses in front of them.
To date it has been installed at:
- Hollywood Park Racetrack (USA)
- Santa Anita ParkSanta Anita ParkSanta Anita Park is a thoroughbred racetrack in Arcadia, California, United States. It offers some of the prominent racing events in the United States during the winter and in spring. With its backdrop of the purple San Gabriel Mountains, it is considered by many as the world's most beautiful race...
(USA) (2007-2008) (Returned to regular dirt in late 2010) - Sunshine Coast Turf Club (Australia)
- Toowoomba Turf Club (Australia)
Pro-Ride Racing
The very first Pro-Ride® training track was installed in early 2000 and was a wax based track. Within the first year of installation it was apparent that in the harsh Australian climate waxes were not the answer. Test results indicated that the wax had melted to the bottom of the footing providing a very inconsistent and unsafe surface. The melted wax was also affecting the drainage layer.This was the starting point of the development of the world's first polymeric binding system. A system that could control the viscosity (stability), be more elastic with shock absorbing cushion and provide a more consistent and safer footing than the wax technology that was currently being used around the world. Pro-Ride® is the only synthetic footing that does not make use of wax as a binder.
This breakthrough in binder technology has set Pro-Ride® apart from its competitors.
Pro-Ride Racing offers a complete Maintenance Program, taking full responsibility for both the performance and condition of the track.
The program covers all materials (additional binder and fibre as and when required) as well as deep mixing to maintain the track’s density, consistency and infiltration rates as per the benchmarks and Key Performance Indicators set at the time of installation.
Currently Pro-Ride is responsible for the maintenance of synthetic tracks at the following Race Clubs:
- Flemington Racecourse (Australia)
- Geelong Racecourse (Australia)
- Cranbourne Training Complex (Australia)
- Ballarat Turf Club (Australia)
- Clarence River Jockey Club (Australia)
- Coffs Harbour Racing Club (Australia)
- Newcastle Jockey Club (Australia)
- Morphettville Racecourse (Australia)
- Gosford Race Club (Australia)
- Rosehill Gardens Racecourse (Australia)
Pro-Ride Racing has installed & maintains training footings at the following Private Training centres:
- Lindsay Park (Australia)
- Darleys’ Osbourne Park (Australia)
- Macedon Lodge (Australia)
External links
- http://horsetracksurface.com/
- http://www.mceltd.com/
- http://www.polytrack.com/
- http://www.cushiontrack.com
- http://www.tapetafootings.com/
- http://www.prorideracing.com