[Kasept]

SANTA ANITA RACING TO CONTINUE WITH REFORMULATED SYNTHETIC SURFACE

(Press Release)


ARCADIA, Calif. (Jan. 15, 2008)—Santa Anita Park officials announced today that soil tests conducted both in Australia and at the Civil Engineering Lab at the University of Southern California have revealed a solution to the track’s hardening and inability to drain. As a result, Santa Anita Park will reformulate its troubled synthetic main track under the auspices of the Australian company Pro-Ride, which is one of the southern hemisphere’s leading providers of synthetic surfaces.

“The test results are dramatic and extremely encouraging,” said Santa Anita President Ron Charles. “We have only a short window of opportunity to get this done and we believe we have finally solved our Cushion Track drainage problem. After exhaustive research, we feel strongly that this is the way to go.

“The tests show that we’ve found a way to reformulate the existing Cushion Track surface. With the addition of polymers and fiber, the surface becomes kinder, more consistent and it cushions the impact of the track on the horses. It functions properly in diverse weather conditions and reduces the amount of kickback,” he added.

Tests were conducted initially in Australia by Ian Pearse, managing director of Pro-Ride, who has communicated regularly with Santa Anita management since the drainage problem became evident late last year. “We’ve looked closely at the environmental conditions here at Santa Anita. I believe we have the solution to the drainage problem,” Pearse said. His lab testing has demonstrated that the existing track required a binder to encapsulate the fine silt contained in the sand. The binder promotes stability and will permit the drainage of rainwater through the seven inches of synthetic surface which lies atop a porous asphalt base.

Tests conducted at USC this week under the direction of Dr. John-Pierre Bardet, professor and chairman of the school’s Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, yielded the same results.

Pro-Ride will introduce their patented polymer binders into the existing Cushion Track. “We’ve made this choice based upon the results of scientific testing and the reaction of the horsemen to whom we’ve shown the final product,” said Charles. “Trainers, owners and jockeys have witnessed numerous demonstrations over the past three days and all parties have been overwhelmingly supportive. The addition of the Pro-Ride polymer and fiber effectively transforms the existing Cushion Track into the synthetic surface we wanted from the start.”

When asked about the idea of replacing the synthetic surface with natural dirt, Charles indicated that his staff went to great lengths to study that option concurrently over the past few weeks. “We’ve conducted an extensive search nationwide to find 20,000 tons of high quality material within the timeframe we have to work with, and have been unsuccessful. In addition, if we were able to find the dirt and get it here quickly, it would take a significant amount of time for a new dirt track to settle, which would hinder our ability to resume training and racing. There may also be community regulatory problems that could cause additional delays,” he said.

“We are now in the process of developing a timeline for acquiring the necessary polymer and fiber,” Charles said. “It is estimated that it will take 10 to 12 days to produce the binder. The material will be mixed into the track surface without having to remove or displace the track. It is our intent to schedule the application so as to minimize any disruption to training or racing,” he added.

“All of us here at Santa Anita are committed to providing the highest caliber of racing on the safest possible racing surfaces for the benefit of all participants and our fans. I am very grateful to so many people who have been so supportive and patient during this uncertain period,” said Charles.

Santa Anita’s winter/spring meeting runs through April 20.