New Tapeta surface passes first test

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Woodbine’s opening weekend marked the first races run on the new Tapeta main track, which drew positive early reviews from Woodbine’s jockeys.

“It’s beautiful,” said David Moran, who recorded two wins from 12 mounts last weekend. “So far, so good. The horses are very comfortable on it, and it seems to be playing very fair. It’s night and day to the old Polytrack.”

Eurico Da Silva, who was named Canada’s outstanding jockey in 2015 at the Sovereign Awards on April 8, recorded four wins from 11 mounts during opening weekend and said the lack of kickback was a positive for the new surface.

Jesse Campbell also had a strong weekend on the new surface, with four wins from 13 mounts, and said the Tapeta reminded him of when new synthetic surfaces were installed at Arlington Park and Keeneland.

“It’s very quiet,” he said. “Even with a pack of horses, it’s quiet out there. It seems to be kinder on them. The horses seem to float or bounce over it a little easier than they were on the old track.”

Campbell said during the card Saturday afternoon that the track appeared to be slower during racing than morning training.

“The only thing I’ve noticed – and again, it’s so early, so it’s hard to say with 100 percent confidence – is they seem to work over it in the morning a little quicker and fairly easy,” he said. “For the afternoon, when they renovate it more, it gets a little fluffier. Keeneland’s did that. They would work really quick in the morning, and then in the afternoon, they wouldn’t run as fast, and it’s reminding me of that.”