The road traveled in the Burlington divisions

If you think Ideal Matters and Kyle Major paced their miles in 1:50.1 to win their respective Burlington divisions last Saturday night at Mohawk Racetrack, think again. If you think Keystone Raptor paced his mile in 1:50.3 to spring his 39-1 upset, think again.

 

All three Burlington winners actually traveled a bit farther than one mile in posting their victories. Kyle Major, who won the first split, traveled 5,348 feet, according to Mohawk’s Trakus charting system, which translates to 22 2/3 yards farther than one mile. Ideal Matters, who won the second division, went even further as he traveled 5,374 feet—31.33 yards further than one mile. As for huge longshot Keystone Raptor, it obviously didn’t bother him that his come-from-behind trip took him 5,363 feet-about 30 yards longer than a mile.

 

One trainer who lamented a long, overland trip that played a pivotal role in a sub-par finish in the first Burlington division was Casie Coleman, whose Sportswriter finished fourth after racing three wide for the entire second half. In looking at the Trakus chart, Sportswriter traveled 5,388 feet—40 feet even farther than the winning Kyle Major—or 36 yards farther than a mile.