"[T]here is evidence from Santa Anita itself that a synthetic track would cut the rate of fatal injuries by at least 50%. California led the way in what proved to be a short-lived experiment with synthetics in the US about a decade ago. In 2009, the last full year Santa Anita raced on a synthetic surface, the fatality rate was 0.84 per 1,000 starts. In 2010, when dirt was reinstalled halfway through the year, it rose to 1.53 per 1,000 starts. In every year since, it has never dipped below 2.04, and has been as high as 2.94."
http://www.theguardian.com/sport/blo...lities-low-ebb