Synthetic track to stay at Santa Anita

The widely criticised all weather track at Santa Anita is set to stay.

In a surprise development, Santa Anita's owner Frank Stronach said on Tuesday the Pro-Ride track will stay at the California venue for the foreseeable future for economic reasons.

After a series of abandonments owing to waterlogging, it was thought likely that the Pro-Ride - on which European runners have thrived at the last two Breeders' Cups - would be ripped out at the end of the current meeting in April.

It was expected to be replaced by a conventional dirt track.

However, Stronach, although a critic of synthetic surfaces, has claimed costs to revert to dirt would be akin to "throwing money down an open pit" due to racing regulations imposed by the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB).

"I'm not going to put money in if I see the whole structure does not work. Let us open up our store when we think we get the most customers." Stronach told the Daily Racing Form.

"Let the market decide. Whoever is going to put on a better show will get the greatest market."

The CHRB mandated installation of synthetic surfaces in 2007.

"I don't like (synthetic surfaces). I never liked it, but I got legislated by government to put it in," he said.

However, Stronach made clear that if the CHRB does not rescind its support for synthetics, Pro Ride would remain at Santa Anita.