Keeneland owns 1/2 of Turfway (Harrah's [the casino giant] owns the other half). Keeneland/Turfway has more than an interest in Polytrack. They are the sole distributor of the surface in America.
Both Nick Nicholson (pres of KEE) and Bob Elliston (pres of TP) have been very active in promoting and selling the poly to other tracks. I don't know what they get out of it personally -- but they are at the forefront of the poly expansion. Del-Mar is going with poly and they had people out to Turfway long before the first horse ever ran on the surface.
It's all about the money and the latest sales pitch that it's best because it's safer for horses doesn't add up. The tracks have never been particularly concerned about horse or jockey safety. To get them to make safety related improvements has been like pulling teeth. The real sales pitch off the record is that it supposedly saves around $500,000 in yearly maintenance. Every track is going to buy into that. That's how it's being sold.
And Keeneland can't sell it without using it.
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10-19-2006, 05:00 PM
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