Pachattack wins Maple Leaf in record time

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - The English filly Pachattack shattered the 1 1/4-mile Polytrack record during an authoritative victory Saturday at Woodbine in the $186,200 Maple Leaf Stakes.

Pachattack went right to the front under Chantal Sutherland, and set moderate fractions before opening up a four-length lead on the far turn. She was six lengths clear at the eighth pole, and then coasted home on top by 5 3/4 lengths over a wide-closing Impossible Time. Satans Quick Chick finished third in the eight-horse field of fillies and mares.

Pachattack completed the distance in 2:02.18, 1.29 seconds faster than the previous record set by Helicopter last November.

Pachattack was coming off a fifth-place finish in the Grade 1 E.P. Taylor Stakes here on the turf, and trainer Gerard Butler added quarter-cup blinkers to her equipment Saturday.

Said Sutherland, "We tried those cheaters, because she had been [slow-starting] from the gate, and because she's kind of lazy in the mornings, but she was fresh today. She's a true plodder."

Sutherland said Butler had instructed her, "'Wherever you are, let her be,' and whatever she wanted to do, I was going to go with it. I just went with the flow."

Pachattack returned $6.70 as the favorite, and banked $105,000 for owner Michael Deegan.