by Tom LaMarra, USTA web newsroom correspondent

Lexington, KY — Admittedly, it’s difficult to get fired up about pacing miles that go in 2:11 and 2:12 with all the emphasis on speed.

But if you consider the circumstances — pacers racing on a synthetic surface — you might at least raise an eyebrow.

Two exhibition races for Standardbred pacers were held at Keeneland in Lexington, Ky., the afternoon of Wednesday, May 21, to give the principals in a racetrack under construction in Alberta, Canada, an idea as to whether a synthetic surface can be used for both breeds. The Calgary track, which will replace Stampede Park when it opens in 2009, will offer Thoroughbred and Standardbred racing.

Keeneland has a synthetic Polytrack surface used for Thoroughbred racing. And though Standardbreds have ventured onto synthetic surfaces before, the latest experiment was perhaps the most involved.

The pacers came from Players Bluegrass Downs in western Kentucky while on their way to Thunder Ridge Raceway in eastern Kentucky. There were local horsemen and a few from western Canada.

When asked how his horse handled Polytrack, driver Bill Napier, executive director of the Kentucky Harness Horsemen’s Association, said the horses used up a lot of energy. But that wasn’t unexpected given the big difference between Polytrack and a conventional limestone surface.

The pacers went much slower than usual. The time for the mile was 2:11.11 on a “rolled” surface, and 2:12.46 on a “cut” surface. Officials wanted to see how the surface played when it was compacted and then fluffed.

Gordon Wilson, president of United Horsemen of Alberta, indicated the experiment was worthwhile given the focus on both breeds in the province.

“We’re in the final decision-making process for a synthetic track for Thoroughbreds,” Wilson said. “We have designed a seven-furlong (harness) track inside the one-mile track. The process we’re going through here is we’d like to put a synthetic surface down for Thoroughbreds, and would like to see if we could do that for Standardbreds also.”

“Anything is possible,” said Polytrack creator Martin Collins.

Alberta has two major racing locations — Calgary and Edmonton — that race both breeds. When Thoroughbreds race in Calgary, harness horses race in Edmonton, and vice versa.