After a particularly wet winter forced Lawn heaven In order to cancel many races, Phoenix racetrack has taken the bold step of renovating its track surface.
The renovation was overseen by Steve Wood, Turf Paradise’s track consultant, one of the most renowned racing specialists in the country. Wood is the former Oak Tree track director, Del Marand Santa Anita responsive race.
To give the track surface a fresh start, existing dirt and sand was removed from the main track. Teams also lowered the drain inside the rails by 8 inches to ensure proper drainage.
The crew then added quality sand and organic matter. The track was surveyed by sonar and re-checked with a handheld laser. While the materials are new and of high quality, Wood said the overall composition should be familiar enough to horses accustomed to racing at Turf Paradise.
Wood noted that the surface was surveyed to within a third of an inch, “And as perfect as it could be.” The teams also surveyed both slides and added sand to them.
The training track was rebuilt with materials removed from the main road and the track was also surveyed. Sand is also reused to improve the bridle path on the back.
Turf Paradise general manager Vince Francia said, “Maintaining the best and safest track surface for our horses and jockeys is a top priority.”
To prevent any major disruption to the race schedule, the renovation of the track was completed in three and a half days. And to ensure continuous track quality, level markers were posted every eight miles.
This press release has been edited by BloodHorse Staff for content and style.
