by Mike Paradise, publicity director, Maywood Park

Melrose Park, IL — Westward Vision became the fastest horse in Maywood Park’s 60-year history and the Darcy Pletcher trained seven-year-old did it in a world record time of 1:50.2, the quickest ever for an older pacing gelding on a half-mile track.

Maywood Park Photo

Westward Vision became the fastest horse in Maywood Park history with a world record time of 1:50.2, the quickest ever for an older pacing gelding on a half-mile track.

With Hall of Fame driver Dave Magee at his lines, Westward Vision led at every pole in a $12,100 conditioned pace on Friday (September 8). The record mile came in the son of Western Hanover’s very first start at Maywood Park. The pacer came to the Chicago circuit’s half-miler with six Free For All season’s victories posted at Balmoral Park for owners Par IV Stable, Terry Ryan, Dennis Hauck and Ronald Latham.

The Illinois quartet claimed Westward Vision for only $17,500 in early April at Balmoral Park and the gelding has earned $91,205 since joining the Pletcher Stable.

“I didn’t know what the track record was, but I thought we were going a pretty good clip,” Magee said. “This is a great big horse who gets around the turns here at Maywood as well as he does on Balmoral’s (mile) oval. He’s great to drive and very solid, and is a very smart horse who takes care of himself.”

Westward Vision sprinted out from post five in the sixth race feature and was pushed hard in the early going by Jilliby Spirit A, another Balmoral Park Free For All invader who left from the pole position.

Westward Vision got to the front midway through the first turn and dashed to a quick :26.4 first quarter with Jilliby Spirit A in the pocket. There were no takers for the pacesetting as Westward Vision sped to a :54.4 half-mile time and a 1:22.3 three-quarters before Tetrick pulled Jilliby Spirit A out of the two hole and went after the leader.

Jilliby Spirit A got within a head of Westward Vision partway through the last turn, however the winner still had something left in the tank and pulled away in the lane, winning by one and three-quarter lengths over the eight-year-old Australian bred. Armbro Barnes (Lavern Hostetler), who raced in the three hole throughout, took third, beaten almost seven lengths.

The previous world record of 1:50.4 for an older gelding was set by Spirit Of A Shark at Harrington Raceway this past May 29. The old Maywood Park all-age record was 1:50.3, established by Fox Valley Gallant (Mike Oosting) at the age of three in 2004.