Woodbine's new turf course getting positive reviews

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – The new $8 million inner turf course, on the same hallowed ground over which the great Secretariat completed his final race, has gotten rave reviews from horsemen.

Journeyman Jesse Campbell won the first leg of the inaugural Woodbine Turf Sprint Series on the seven-furlong layout aboard the 11-year-old Stormy Rush on July 10. Its state-of-the-art drainage system was put to the test a week later on another Wednesday night, when it was labeled as firm despite taking nearly an inch of rain that morning. Campbell guided Eminent Force to a second-place finish on it then, and the jockey is impressed with the course.

“I don’t want to say it’s better than I expected,” Campbell said. “The only reason I say that is because when they put it in, it didn’t even have a year to take and mature. Not knowing what to expect, I think it’s awesome. We had quite a bit of rain on that Wednesday night, and when we walked on the track, you could see the water in it. I wouldn’t say it was standing water, but you could see the moisture in it. Horses handled it, and it wasn’t like they were tearing it up. I think it’s fair. Horses have won on the lead, and coming from last. I don’t find the turns sharp at all. I think it rides real nice.”

Trainer Darwin Banach said he believes that the inner turf could yield a group of specialists over the course, with a specific skill set and approach.

“I don’t think there’s any specific body type or conformation,” Banach explained. “Horses with the right attitude, who are agile and very athletic. Horses that can go out and get position going into the turns, so that they’re not getting carried out wide. Something that doesn’t have a big stride.”