The 2024-25 racing season at Turf Paradise, originally set to begin on Saturday, Nov. 2, is now facing delays.
This decision came after a special meeting held by the Arizona Department of Racing on Nov. 1.
On Oct. 31, the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) issued a statement expressing concerns about the main track’s safety at Turf Paradise.
Their experts recommended that no racing or training occur until certain, unspecified issues were resolved.
At the meeting, Brian Duncan, racing enforcement and operations manager for the commission, outlined HISA’s primary concerns.
He noted that HISA had initially raised these issues in a June letter and reiterated them following a recent track inspection.
Key concerns included inconsistent depth between the inner and outer lanes, a roughly ten-inch drop-off along the inside rail, insufficient tractors and harrows for surface maintenance, a lack of machinery to properly water the track, and rail height discrepancies on both the inner and outer railings.
Duncan reported that crews have been working continuously since receiving HISA’s report, with additional equipment brought in from other tracks to expedite repairs.
However, after a surface check on Friday morning, Duncan found that inconsistencies in depth and the drop-off remained.
Arizona HBPA president Lloyd Yother mentioned that although water trucks are being used, water application varies between trucks, leading to inconsistent coverage.
Yother acknowledged that racing would be unsafe under current conditions.
The fate of training sessions remains uncertain, as Yother believes allowing horses on the track may hinder ongoing repairs.
Discussions about using the training track for light work while the main track undergoes repairs were inconclusive, as the training track is also in disrepair, raising safety concerns.
Turf Paradise general manager Vince Francia suggested that horsemen consult him privately about potential training options.
Yother expressed frustration about the last-minute nature of the delay, pointing out that on Oct. 28, the commission had issued a conditional 45-day license to the track, contingent on the completion of safety repairs.
Delays in HISA’s pre-meet inspection results, which only arrived on Oct. 30, contributed to the current timeline issues.
Some stakeholders voiced frustration—not over the safety assessment itself but over what they saw as Turf Paradise’s delayed response to longstanding issues.
Dr. Sue Gale, equine medical director for the state, referred to a spring 2024 safety committee report, which noted that while the dirt track started the meet in good condition, it became inconsistent over time due to inadequate maintenance equipment.
Gale added that since horses resumed training a month ago, there have been three serious injuries—two fatal and one likely career-ending.
Gale said she felt the track is currently in a similar state as it was at the end of last season, which she believes is backed by racing surfaces testing lab reports from both February and the recent inspection.
Despite the challenges, she noted that fatality rates at the winter/spring meet were relatively low for the dirt surface, given Turf Paradise’s history, which she described as “fortunate.”
Dr. Joann di Fillippo, an owner with horses entered in Turf Paradise races, questioned why maintenance issues from the last meet had not been resolved and expressed concern that her horses had been training on an inferior track for nearly a month.
Ultimately, commissioners unanimously passed a measure requiring the track to complete repairs to the satisfaction of HISA, commission staff, and commission chairwoman Kandace French Contreras before live racing can begin.
Yother remains optimistic that if repairs continue through the weekend, racing might proceed on Tuesday, pending a HISA inspection on Monday.
