Track Records falling at Turfway
 

FLORENCE, KY . . . September 14, 2006 . . . Unleash the Power, a six-year-old gelding trained by Michael Thompson, set a new track record in the eighth race at Turfway Park Thursday night, getting 5 1/2 furlongs over Polytrack in 1:04.44.

The previous record was 1:04.46, set by Cayenne Red on March 10, 2006.

Calvin Borel was aboard for Thursday's record-setting sprint, a $20,000 claiming event for horses three years old and older. Unleash the Power tracked the leader before making a move on the turn and getting clear to win by 3/4 of a length. Sent off as the bettors' third choice at 7-2, Unleash the Power paid $9 for the win.

Unleash the Power, a son of Unbridled by the Seattle Slew mare My Working Gal, was bred in Florida by Glen Hill Farm. He is owned by Six-Pack Stable.

The record was the second to fall in as many days. Slew Peg set a new track record for the mile on Wednesday.


FLORENCE, KY . . . September 13, 2006 . . . Slew Peg, a 3-year-old filly by 2000 Kentucky Derby winner Fusaichi Pegasus, set a new track record for the mile at Turfway Park Wednesday, finishing the ninth race in 1:36.37.

The previous record for the mile had been 1:37.31, set by Artemus Sunrise on October 1, 2005.

Slew Peg won going nearly gate to wire in the night's feature race, a $26,000 allowance for fillies and mares 3 years old and upward. In the irons was apprentice jockey Julien Leparoux, the nation's leading rider by wins and the current leader of the Turfway Park meet with 9 wins from 28 mounts.

Trained by Patrick Biancone, Slew Peg now has three wins from six career starts and is a perfect two-for-two at Turfway. The record-setting race was her second start off a 10-month layoff and her first win this year. She has posted three bullets in four works over the Turfway track in the past month.

Out of the Seattle Slew mare Slew Princess, Slew Peg was bred in Kentucky by Whisperwood Farm and is owned by Gulf Coast Farms.

must be tweeking the track made it tighter and faster. which is super as long as the safety benefits are maintained.

I definatley think it is much faster as well. And plus the kickback is much less severe. But the safety pre-cautions are all still there.

Is this stuff the same thing that they're putting at Hollywood Park?? Rupert?? Scuds??

think it's the same as Hollywood. they have some flexibility as far as the type of surface you get as far as tightness, etc. they are continually trying to improve it so Hollywood should be state of the art.

Slew Peg set the mile record at TP and she is 2 for 2 on poly. she is nicely bred to Fupeg, who is a sire of questionable soundness. they outcrossed his Native Dancer and did not inbreed the Mr Prospector or Raise A Native with him. They did cross Hail To Reason and Count Fleet which makes for a sounder match. She has a snappy 3x3 Gold Digger. Nice job on the breeding folks.

any biases detectable on the TP surface ?

I cannot detect any biases at all. Maybe the surface is playing to those who like to come from behind. But there hasnt been a bias. Seems like after a rain, then it could play towards speed. If the surface hasnt received any moisture then it seems that horses come from off the pace.

glancing at some of the charts it looks that way. but the speed doesn't fall apart either, they finish game.

That is what I am not understanding. It is like a combination of dirt and turf racing. You have horses the bolt to the lead and then the closers come but the leaders do not falter. It is like it is a 5 horse finish each race. Very fun to watch.