Comparison of Racing Fatality Rates on Dirt, Synthetic, and Turf at Four California Racetracks

Racing fatalities declined 37% after main track dirt racing surfaces at four major California racetracks were converted to synthetic racing surfaces over the period of this study, January 1, 2004 through December 31, 2009. The racing fatality rate was 3.09 fatalities/1,000 starts on dirt before conversion to synthetic surfaces and 1.95 fatalities/1,000 starts after conversion to synthetic racing surfaces. The racing fatality rate on turf was 2.44/1,000 starts over the same 6-yr period. The fatality-rate difference between dirt and synthetic was significant (p 0.001). Author’s address: School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, 1 Shields Avenue, Davis, California 95616; e-mail: rmarthur@ucdavis.edu. © 2010 AAEP.