NEW YORK - Renowned trainer Michael Dickinson has called for Churchill Downs to switch to a synthetic surface in the wake of Eight Belles' death during Saturday's Kentucky Derby.

The Rick Porter-owned filly, trained by Larry Jones and ridden by Gabriel Saez, was euthanized shortly after finishing second to Big Brown in the first jewel of the Triple Crown when she broke both of her front ankles on the dirt track at Churchill Downs.

Eight Belles' death is the latest in a line of recent fatal accidents during highest-profile races in the U.S. At the 2006 Preakness Stakes, Barbaro broke down just yards into the race. After a long struggle, the Kentucky Derby winner had to be euthanized.

Pine Island also had be euthanized after dislocating the fetlock joint in her left foreleg in the 2006 Breeders' Cup Distaff.

Last year, Irish-bred George Washington broke down in the sloppy dirt at a rain-soaked Monmouth Park during the Breeders' Cup Classic and also was euthanized.

Now this weekend's fatality has sparked a new wave of debate over the issue of racetrack surfaces with many, including Dickinson, believing the 100 dirt tracks remaining in the U.S. are now too dangerous for a modern generation of thoroughbreds more fragile than their ancestors.

"Barbaro was the big wake-up call and then it died down a little bit and this (death) has reignited it," Dickinson told PA SportsTicker. "Things have got to change."

The Maryland-based Englishman retired last year from a training career that included saddling the first five home at steeplechasing's blued riband Cheltenham Gold Cup in England in 1983 and Breeders' Cup Mile victories with Da Hoss in 1996 and 1998.

Dickinson does have a vested interest in seeing a move away from dirt tracks, having invented a synthetic surface called Tapeta, the Latin word for carpet, which consists of 53 percent sand, five percent rubber and six other undisclosed ingredients.

Dickinson already has seen it installed at racetracks and training facilities in England, Dubai, Korea and Singapore as well as at Presque Isle Downs in Pennsylvania and Golden Gate Fields in California and he now works full-time marketing Tapeta.

Yet, he insisted that other synthetic surfaces, such as the more widely used Polytrack, were also safer than dirt.

"Everyone agrees that the modern thoroughbred is more delicate than his predecessors," he said. "All the statistics are out there and he's not as tough as he was 50 or 60 years ago or even 30 years ago. The good news is we do have a solution and we have to build a modern racetrack for the modern thoroughbred."

Dickinson also is confident synthetic surfaces are safer.

"There's no question that synthetic surfaces are safer than dirt surfaces," he said. "Synthetic surfaces are improving all the time and they've come a long way in a short period.

"The only reason not to put a synthetic track in now is the cost. There is no excuse for the racetracks now, especially those with (income from) slot machines, why they don't put one n immediately, including Churchill Downs."

Dickinson believes pressure from the general public and from within the industry will ultimately persuade racetracks to switch to synthetic surfaces.

"A lot of the racetracks want to change but it's a big hunk of money (to spend)," he said. "But, I think it will be forced upon them by the owners not running the horses, the jockeys being reluctant, the insurance companies for fear of greater liability and the general public opinion that will say we don't want to come and see horses break their legs, we want it to be as safe as can make it."

"And you would think the president of a racetrack would want peace of mind. If a jockey goes down, gets hurt and gets paralyzed can he really say to himself I did everything that I could. Yes, that he legally should, but peace of mind is probably most important."

Dickinson also highlighted the risks jockeys as well as horse took on the dirt.

"Our first priority has got to be the jockey and we have 58 jockeys on permanent disability in America," he said. "So, we've got to protect the jockeys and they're all married with their children so we have to protect those.

"And the casualty rate in America is unacceptably high for horses now. We'll never eliminate injury but we maintain that with a good synthetic surface and the right shoeing of the horses we can reduce them by 50 percent."

Dickinson also said there always will be a risk in the sport. "I wish I could tell you we could get it down to zero but I can't and it will never be because the horses are so fast and delicate but a 50 per cent reduction is a step in the right direction," he said.

MORE FROM KENTUCKY DERBY

Favored Big Brown wins tragic Kentucky Derby

Favored Big Brown wins tragic Kentucky Derby Celizic: Don't euthanize horse racing just yet Eight Belles' death sparks reaction by readers 2008 Kentucky Derby final chart Brunker: This is not your granddad’s Kentucky Derby From Castro's jails to the Derby owners’ box Jockey comes clean on horse racing’s dark side Special feature: The best traditions in sports Kentucky Derby winners through the years   Add Kentucky Derby headlines to your news reader: