A world record for a one-mile turf race was established at Monmouth Park June 6 when Colvin Green’s Mandurah won a starter handicap in 1:31.23 on a firm course at the New Jersey racetrack (VIDEO).
Trained by Grant Forster and ridden by Alex Solis, Mandurah, a 6-year-old gelding by A.P. Indy, took the lead at once and never looked back en route to an 8 1/2-length victory. He carried 114 pounds and paid $23.40 to win.
Fractions for the race were :22.26 for the quarter, :44.76 for the half, and 1:08.13 for six furlongs. Isittruemossy was second, while Fastus Cactus finished third.
The old record for one mile on grass belonged to Mister Light, who ran 1:31.41 Jan. 3, 2005, at Gulfstream Park as a 6-year-old carrying 118 pounds.
The $55,500 event was the first in the four-part Malouf Auto Group Starter Series, which runs throughout the Monmouth meet. The series is for 3-year-olds and up that have started for a claiming price of $12,500 or less in 2009-10 and haven’t won a stakes since becoming eligible.
“He’s a very talented horse,” Forster told Monmouth officials after the race. “We thought he’d like the firm turf at Monmouth, which he did very well.
“We purchased him privately as a 4-year-old and gelded him. He always trained well in the morning, but didn’t show up in the afternoon. But over this winter we got him in some races and gained his confidence back.”
A winner of three races at Oaklawn Park earlier this year, Mandurah, out of the Machiavellian mare Morning Pride, who was bred in Ireland, was making his first start on turf. His connections plan to continue on in the Malouf Auto Group Starter Series; the next leg, set for June 26, is at 1 1/16 miles.