One of the selling points of the synthetic surfaces has been that there is very
little maintenance required between races and between racing days. The Hollywood
track maintenance crew seems to be protecting their jobs if they are over-
maintaining this track. Most jockeys interviewed on TVG said that the
surface is best when left alone (not harrowed, not watered).

I do no not understand the infatuation with fast final times in racing. Don't
racing fans get more enjoyment out of 6f in 1:11 than they do from 6f in 1:09?

Horses will regrettably continue to suffer catastrophic breakdowns on synthetic
surfaces; hopefully there will be less of them. The nature and condition of sur-
faces is only one reason why horses are injured. The installation of a safer
more forgiving surface will not prevent 2YOs in training being breezed much too
fast prior to sales, will not prevent horses of all ages being worked too fast
in general(they seem particularly guilty of this in California), will not
prevent older racers from being brought to the track to gallop 5 and 6 days a
week between races when they have already reached a stage of muscular and
respiratory fitness. My feeling was always that once horses were fit, they
should be breezed and teased between races.

IMO a great deal of muscular/ skeletal damage is done in 2 mile gallops between
races, when horses hit the ground awkwardly while fighting the restraint of their
exercise riders. But a parallel can be drawn between the track maintenance crew
at Hollywood and exercise riders: If you are making a living galloping a horse
six days per week, you are not going to jump off the animal one morning and tell
the trainer that the horse is fit and only needs to be taken to the track four
days per week.

Speaking of breakdowns (and we speak of them too frequently), I do not get a
vote but my 3YO of the year would be Bernardini (even though it would be
unfortunate to reward trainer Albertrani for being overconfident and overly
cautious with his horse going into the BC). My Horse of the Year is Barbaro.
His survival against all odds is an inspiring story of heart, strength and
intelligence. Sadly the economics of racing and insurance dictate that many
animals who suffer injuries not nearly so severe are sentenced to a lethal
injection behind a hastily constructed barrier.