Evolution of speed at The Creek

This Saturday night, one of the greatest Queensland pacers to grace the Albion Track will be remembered with the running of the Be Good Johnny Sprint.

It is fitting that the John McCarthy trained pacer is remembered with a sprint race, the gelding who was a noted speedster claiming a Sunshine Sprint and two Miracle Miles amongst a long list of feature races in his illustrious career.

A winner of 48 races, Be Good Johnny took his best winning time with his victory in the 2006 Gold Coast Bulletin Cup, the 1.54.0 rate enough to defeat Rollercoaster Road and one-time Albion Park track record holder Home Of Jack.

The evolution of the Albion Park track record over the 1660 metre journey reached a crescendo on September 2022 when Blacksadance became the first horse to break through the through the 1.50 barrier.

Stopping the clock with a monster mile of 1.49.2, it would be another 22 months until another horse would pace a sub 1.50 rate.

Jimartee was the next horse to join the club, when the seven-year-old scorched around The Creek in 1.49.6 on July 20 of this year.

Amazingly, just two starts later, the Cristina Monte trained gelding again went sub-50, this time stomping out a 1.49.8 mile on August 10.

With three times in the 1.49 bracket on the board, another two horses have joined the exclusive club in the past two months.

Braedos Lad posted a 1.49.7 time on September 7 and the most recent inductee, Always Smokin, equalled Jimartee with a 1.49.6 power running display on October 19.

All four pacers will do battle in the same race this weekend in the Be Good Johnny Sprint, and if the record is to be broken from one of the four, it will take a special effort as all have drawn wide or second line gates.

Always Smokin will start from five, Jimartee in six, Braedos Lad two out on the second line in nine and Blacksadance continues his horror run of gates in feature races, landing gate 10.