Groovy euthanized

[46zilzal]

the proverbial NEED TO LEAD sprinter was humanely destroyed due to the infirmities of old age.......

A physically massive individual with a very prominent Achilles heel.

[JPinMaryland]

what record did he have? The mile for No.AMerica??

[ryesteve]

what record did he have? The mile for No.AMerica??
Groovy would've needed bus fare to get a mile.
Maybe you're thinking of Easy Goer?

[Tom]

He held the track records for 6 furlongs at Finger Lakes for a few years.

When he ran there in the BC G3 race, the place was packed - he was quite the sight for us "farmers" to see!

Sorry news for sure.

[JPinMaryland]

Groovy held the 6f record at Belmont, probably still does, I was flipping through the 2005 racing manual or whatever it's called.

Dr. Fager and another horse co hold the No american 1 mile record.

[the little guy]

He won the Forego at 7F as a 3YO defeating the monsterous Turkoman.

I believe he was disqualified from second in the Gotham, at a mile, behind Mogambo ( with that BC winning disgrace Tasso moved up to second ).

[46zilzal]

Groovy held the 6f record at Belmont, probably still does, I was flipping through the 2005 racing manual or whatever it's called.

Dr. Fager and another horse co hold the No american 1 mile record.
thought the mile record was owned by Isitingood and then broken by Atticus

http://www.threechimneys.com/Atticus/race.html

1:31 and change

[JPinMaryland]

Atticus must hold the world record and Dr. Fager the north american. Fager's is 1:32 1/5 if memory serves and the co-holder (for no. america) holds the modern timing in 100th's...

They mentioned groovy's 6f record on the pedigreeinquiry site. The mile record i am pretty sure I read it in the latest edition of the racing manual.

[JPinMaryland]

When Fager ran it in 1968 it was a world record, I guess it is now merely a north american record.

Najran is the other horse I am trying to think of. he tied Dr. Fagers record w/ a modern clocking of 1:32.24, I dont recall the year but it was recent (like last 10 years) here is a link to that...


http://www.worldracetracks.com/cgi-bin/news/drfnewsstory.cgi?M=05&D=08&Y=2003&SN=3&LID=281

probably the funniest thing of that story is that Najran was carrying a mere 113 lbs. I dont know how much fager was carrying, but I know he set some records carrying about 134# which was quite common for him.

I remember after was watching the Vosburgh last year or whatever race it was that Artax had tied or equalled Fager's record in the 7f Vosburgh. Artax was carrying like 118# and Fager something like 134#...Amazing.

[46zilzal]

is not the ARCADIA HANDICAP in Arcadia, Claifornia not qualify as North America? That is where Atticus set the WORLD record for the mile.

from Three Chimneys web site:
At 5, 1997
Won

Oaklawn H.-G1

Arcadia H.-G2-World Record for mile, 8f at SA in 1:31 4/5, in 2 starts

[DrugSalvastore]

The 1:31 and change Atticus ran was on that funky SA turf course. That counts as a north american record anyway.

I think the previous poster meant that it's a record on dirt.

[46zilzal]

ELMONT, N.Y. - Belmont Park opened its 55-day meet with a bang Wednesday when Najran shattered a 10-year-old track record in the $109,700 Westchester Handicap before a crowd of 7,781.

Najran, ridden by Edgar Prado, covered the one-mile distance in 1:32.24 over a fast track that had been kind to speed horses during the day. Williamstown previously held the record of 1:32.60, which he set in 1993. Najran's time equaled the North American dirt record, set by Dr. Fager on Aug. 24, 1968, in the Washington Park Handicap at Arlington Park. Dr. Fager carried 134 pounds.

[DrugSalvastore]

Groovy was the only horse to ever beat the great sprinter Phone Trick. He also was the only horse to ever beat Turkoman sprinting...though Turkoman only sprinted four times. He is also known for setting a fast pace and fading in a KY Derby. Groovy's lifetime record in route races was 0-for-8. He was 12-for-18 sprinting. He set two track records, was twice a beaten favorite in the Breeders Cup sprint, and ran two Beyer figures in the 130's. He holds the fastest Beyer figure since they started getting published in the 80's. Groovy is a sibling to the brilliant stakes winning filly Harbor Springs, who won 7-of-11 races and as a broodmare dropped 2yo champ Boston Harbor. Groovy also sired a Grade 1 winning sprinter.

FWIW, When Najran broke the track record on opening day---the track was producing absurdly fast times all day long.

I remember hearing a story, from the TG website, that the track superintendant wasn't on hand that day...and the cushion of the racing surface was something like an inch less than normal.