by Mike Paradise, publicity director, Maywood Park

Melrose Park, IL — Track record holder Michael’s Western makes his first Maywood Park appearance since his stunning 1:51 flat clocking on April 9, the fastest mile ever raced in this track’s long 58 year history.

The Joe Anderson trained five-year-old gelding will open up as the 9-5 favorite in the $22,000 ninth race Free For All Pace on Friday (May 21). Ryan Anderson will be back at the lines of Michael’s Western when he leaves from post three.

Among his five challengers are a pair of “new faces” to this season’s Maywood Park FFA ranks — Star Role (5-2, Tony Morgan) and Whispers Spy (10-1, Eric Ledford).

Star Role was a five time winner earlier this season in the Pompano Park Open events for Loudonville, New York owner Michael Polansky and Maywood Park based trainer Tom Harmer. The five-year-old son of Magical Mike had plenty of success on small tracks in his first three seasons of racing.

Star Role was a two time New York Sires Stakes victor as a freshman at Yonkers. At the age of three he banked over $282,000, winning the Cleveland Classic at Northfield (1:52), a division of the Reynolds at Pocono Downs, and New York Sires Stakes at Yonkers and Saratoga. He took his lifetime mark of 1:51¹ at Balmoral prior to going unplaced in the 2002 Windy City Pace Final in his only career start at Maywood Park.

Whispers Spy was a four time season winner in New Jersey, including a 1:53⁴ clocking in an Invitational at Freehold and a $75,000 claiming event at the Meadowlands. The five-year-old horse will be making his first start for the Seldon Ledford Stable, the leading trainer in combined wins on the Chicago circuit.

Friday’s Free For All field also lured Bar Ron Boy A (7-2, Dale Hiteman), Abouttolosecontrol (6-1, Brent Holland) and Wrist Rocket (8-1, Mike Oosting). The latter is the only horse on the circuit this season to post a sub 1:50 mile, posting a 1:49⁴ clocking on April 17 at Balmoral Park.

Wrist Rocket is expected to be a starter for Palos Park, Illinois owner Robert Ranquist, Jr. in next Friday night’s $40,000 Cook County Stake, the first leg of the Maywood Park Pacing Series.

When Michael’s Western paced his record 1:51 clocking, his driver Ryan Anderson said after the early April race: “If I knew how fast he was going I would have asked him to go faster, because he definitely could have gone faster than 1:51. Out of all the horses I’ve driven, he’s definitely one of the top five.”

Ryan had a driving triple here Monday night, and posted another win Tuesday at Balmoral, putting him only seven shy of 1,000 wins. The native Californian won’t turn 24 for another month (June 21).