Times are changing at big summer meets

The main track at Saratoga was yielding final times much faster than par all through the 2009 meet. One major track record was even shattered when Quality Road won the Amsterdam.

The fastest Beyer figure ever recorded at Saratoga since they've been published in the DRF was a 126 turned in by Will's Way for a nose win over Formal Gold in the '97 Whitney.

The final time was just 1:48.37 ...

Slower than the 1:48.12 turned in by Bullsbay in this years Whitney and the 1:48.29 by Rachel Alexandra in the Woodward.

Here are the final times for the other dirt races on the '97 Whitney card.

Race #1: 35K claimers - 1:54.22 for 9f

Race #2: 2yo filly MSW - 1:14.00 for 6f

Race #3: 3yo & up N2X ALW for fillies and mares - 1:54.00 for 9f

Race #4: Turf Race

Race #5: NY Bred N1X ALW for older males - 1:25.69 for 7f

Race #6: Turf Race

Race #7: Turf Race

Race #8: Whitney Handicap - 1:48.37 for 9f

Race #9: Turf race


The great Skip Away finished 3rd and was beaten 6.5 lengths in that Whitney.

Today, if a horse carried 125lbs and ran a 115 Beyer in the Whitney Handicap ... they would be considered a super horse. In 1997, the trouncing Skip Away took that day played a huge part in why he was defeated by overrated 2yo Favorite Trick in the horse of the year vote.

'97 Whitney 2nd place finisher Formal Gold returned to win both the Iselin and Woodward by 5+ lengths over Skip Away .. and doing so with Beyers of 125, and 124.

Formal Gold retired after the Woodward .. and Skip Away took both the Jockey Club Gold Cup and Breeders Cup Classic by 6 lengths with Formal Gold out of the way.

Former Travers winner Will's Way only ran once more after the Whitney .. he was 3rd to Formal Gold and Skip Away in the Woodward.


Final times were also much faster at Del Mar this year - compared to year #1 of polytrack anyway.

It took Student Council a blistering 2:07.29 to win the inaugural Pacific Classic run over Polytrack in 2007. This years Poly Pac Classic was won by Richard's Kid in a time of 2:02.39. A mere 4.90 full seconds faster.