Photo:

Turfway Park / Devin Hall / Coady Media

Paros set a track record for 1 1/16 miles while holding
off a late surge from Dresden Row to win Saturday in the 29th running
of the listed, $244,570 Prairie Bayou Stakes, the feature of the inaugural
synthetic championships at Turfway Park.

Ridden by Luis Sáez for trainer Mike Maker,
Paros stopped the clock at 1:42.22, besting the previous mark of 1:42.26 set
by Cyber Secret in 2013.

Click here for Turfway Park entries and results.

In the early stages Sáez settled Paros in seventh, trailing
the field as pacesetter Tremor set sharp fractions of 23.53 and 46.95
seconds. Approaching the three-eighths pole, Sáez began to ask for more,
guiding Paros to the outside and steadily gaining ground.

Turning for home Paros seized the lead but had to dig deep
to repel a late bid from Dresden Row, who closed strongly along the rail under
jockey Martín García. At the wire Paros prevailed by a head.

“I had a good trip and was able to relax off the pace,” Sáez
said. “Around the turn, we started passing horses, and he was very game late to
hold on.”

Hush of a Storm, ridden by Luan Machado, rallied late
to finish third followed in order by 6-5 favorite Wadsworth, Noises
Off, Big Blue Line, Money Supply, Exaulted, Wonderful
Justice, Midnight West, Stilleto Boy and Tremor. 

At odds of 6-1, Paros returned $14.94, $7.20, and $4.10.
Dresden Row paid $5.16 and $3.74. Hush of a Storm returned $4.48 to show.

The Prairie Bayou marked the eighth win in 17 starts for
Paros, a 4-year-old gelding by Cairo Prince. Owned by Paradise Farm, his career
earnings climbed to $495,596.