Trainers to California!

[2Hot4TV]

Cushion Track Drawing Attention Of Trainers Nationwide
INGLEWOOD, Calif. (Sept. 29, 2006) - Cushion Track, Hollywood Park's new synthetic surface, is drawing excellent reviews from local horsemen and catching the attention of major outfits across the country.

Todd Pletcher, the nation's leading trainer who occasionally ships horses from his East Coast base here for major events, will send a string of horses to Hollywood Park prior to the opening of the 36-day Autumn Meet on Nov. 1.

Pletcher's clients include Michael Tabor, who prefers his horses train on a synthetic surface whenever possible.

Besides Pletcher, East Coast trainers Richard Dutrow Jr. and Lisa Lewis are making plans to send horses to Hollywood Park. Patrick Biancone, who has stabled at Santa Anita Park when returning from the East in recent years, will base his horses at Hollywood Park when returning for the winter next month.

Biancone, who saddled Lion Heart to win the 2003 Hollywood Futurity for Tabor and Derrick Smith, is an advocate of synthetic surfaces and has trained a division of his stable at Turfway Park throughout the year.

"When I come (west) for the winter, the horses will be at Hollywood Park," he said. "It will reduce the injuries, which is good for me, good for the owners. I read in the Form where everybody likes it. If my horses like it, I like it.

"It'll be the same as every winter," Biancone added. "I'll bring about 15 to 20-head in late October."

Lewis is excited about the synthetic surface and turf racing as she has several grass horses.

"I've been to California twice and I've always wanted to get back," she said. "The synthetic track is an added bonus, it gives us a good option other than Florida. Usually trainers don't agree on much, but they all agree these surfaces help horses stay sounder."

Lewis visited Hollywood Park recently and was impressed with what she saw and heard.

"I talked to Neil Drysdale and a lot of other trainers and they all seemed very happy," she said.

Dutrow is still finalizing plans and has not set a shipping date or specified a number of horses.

Cushion Track, installed following the Spring/Summer Meet, was unveiled when training resumed at Hollywood Park on Sept. 13. It is a waxed synthetic surface manufactured from a combination of synthetic fibers, elastic fibers and granulated rubber - all coated with a specially formulated blend of wax and mixed with silica