Fastest workouts

[Indian Charlie]

Originally Posted by The Indomitable DrugS

I believe they would get surpringly fast fractions because the run-up was a lot longer than at other route distances at that track.

Notice in this video how long it takes the field to hit the wire for the first time: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dM0hmZ6ONIo

The field is at top speed by the time the timer starts. I believe that was the only distance at Del Mar where the field has that much of a running start to the beam.

The opposite occurs in Gulfstream races at one-mile right now. They break right at the pole - so it's almost like a stand still start to timer beam.

That's why a horse like Quality Road set the pace with a 25.15 first quarter in the Hal's Hope. Obviously, if he had a running start to the beam, he couldn't possibly go that slow even if the Boston Strangler was his jockey.

The 23.83 and 45.55 fractions This One's For Phil set in the '09 Fountain Of Youth are about as vicious as it gets for Derby preps.

Wow, I didn't know he posted that race from Cee's Tizzy. One of the truly fastest horses I've ever seen. What a shame he got hurt so badly at 3 and then stood stud in California. Had he stood in KY, or even Fla, who knows what he might have gotten.

If only he could scrounge up the maiden victory for him.
By the way, was that video from me?