Mawsafe Turf Rail

Keeneland replaced its inside turf rail with a Mawsafe safety rail in 2016. The unique flexibility of the Mawsafe rail makes it safer than existing solid pipe construction for horse and rider. The major safety feature is the horizontal PVC rail will absorb the impact of a horse and rider. The rail is designed to spring and bend as the ropes around a boxing ring, flexing under the weight of the horse to allow the rider to guide his mount back onto the turf course.

Central to the rail design are innovative “kick out” uprights. Each upright has a pivotal connection to the rail and a slip free connection to the base plate. The design allows the upright to swing away should a fallen rider hit it. Upon impact, several uprights can slip free without losing the integrity of the railing.

The rail’s metal base is below ground level – another safety first – so neither horse nor jockey are in danger of striking steel at high speed.  

A further advantage of the Mawsafe rail is that it is lightweight and easy for track personnel to move to different settings to protect the inside lanes of the turf course and maintain course consistency throughout the race meet.