From January 6, 2007 Blood Horse Magazine interview with Frank Stronach (his Magna Corp. owns 10 racetracks including Santa Anita, Gulfstream Park, Pimlico, and Laurel Park and his Adena Springs is a top breeder).

The Blood-Horse: What is you view of synthetic racing surfaces?

            Frank Stronach: I will go out of my way to have a safe racetrack no matter what it is made of. But I'm a little skeptical. I'm not sure synthetic surfaces are the answer. The materials seem to fluctuate with the sun, with cold, with rain. You can't completely control it. I think sand and dirt have been proven over thousands of years, and are a more natural footing. I don't want to be critical, but I think we should pause for a while and look at the problems caused by different climates. My inclination is to leave things as natural as possible.

            The problem with most racetracks is they weren't constructed right. Some aren't on level land; some are in swampy areas. The key is to have a good base. Gulfstream Park was built on swampy land, and when we rebuilt it, we put in four feet of lime rock. We created a base like a highway, driving trucks over it again and again until there was absolutely no give. Only then did we put the cushion on it. If there is even a small amount of give, the water accumulates there, it gets soggy, and when the horses go over it, you have a problem. We did the same at Laurel Park. If everyone would do that, I don't think we would need synthetic surfaces. But it's costly to do what we did - more costly even than installing a synthetic surface. But we spend millions on horses, so I feel that's what should be done.