1:53.3 mile at Saratoga

In a year in which speed has become the nightly blue plate special, the Saratoga Raceway fans were once again treated to steak and lobster on Saturday night when Pan Prix challenged the all-time Spa City track record. His 1:53.3 mile set a track record for 4 year olds but missed the overall track record by one-fifth of a second.

Having made every marker a winning one, the 4-year-old son of The Panderosa overcame tremendous early pressure and discouraged a premature challenge from driver Rick Pugliese and Ignite My Fire; they rode on the outside wheel of John Stark, Jr. and Pan Prix as they raced past the quarter-mile pole, timed in :272, and the half-mile marker, reached in :56.

Josh Marks made a perfunctory challenge with the red-hot Nelson’s Revenge, but never drew close enough to taste the same atmosphere as the precocious stud, and Pan Prix led all comers to the three-quarter pole in a zippy 1:25.

Under mild urging at best, Pan Prix jiggy-jogged through the storied stretch of the historic Saratoga oval, alone in what became a trial against time, and tripped the timer in an outstanding 1:533.

Owned and trained by James and Vicki Mattison of Pompano Beach, Fla., Pan Prix scored his first “northern” victory to go along with three Pompano Park tallies this year.

Pan Prix's name is now in the local record books, becoming the fastest 4-year-old stallion in the history of Saratoga Raceway, lowereing the record of 1:54.4, formerly held by Present Laughter (1985), Card Holder (2005), and Gemini Jon (2006).--Saratoga press release

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