Peterson’s Track Consults in Turkey Subject of Horse Racing Column

Michael “Mick” Peterson’s recent trip to Turkey to consult with the six major race tracks of the Jockey Club of Turkey was the subject of a story by a horse racing columnist Kadir Kiygir. Since 2004, the UMaine professor of mechanical engineering has contracted with track owners and racing industry leaders to test the strength, stability and water-retaining qualities of natural and synthetic track surfaces in an effort to improve safety for horses and jockeys. The Orono-based Racing Surfaces Testing Laboratory founded by Peterson is working with the Jockey Club in the U.S. to develop a database of surface-testing analyses and records of track maintenance and injuries, both human and equine.