Keeneland - Speed not doing well on Polytrack
Marty McGee, Daily Racing Form
Posted: 10/10/06

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Polytrack was supposed to put an end to the track biases that long existed at Keeneland, but the small sampling of 22 Polytrack races that opened the fall meet last weekend suggests that early speed might not be very effective over the new surface.

Only one front-running winner could be found among the 22 races run Friday through Sunday, and that winner - Cat and a Half in the fourth race Sunday - was a dominant class-dropper who returned $3.60 after winning off by 5 1/2 lengths.

Otherwise, winners mostly came from well off the pace in Polytrack races. Just two winners came from as close up as second place, and only one rallied from third. Four winners came from fourth, one from fifth, while the remainder - 13 of the 22 winners - came from sixth or farther back.

Six favorites were winners in the 22 races for a slightly below average win percentage of .273.