restore_command ignored in recovery.conf on standby

- Base backup taken with 9.2.6 (via pg_basebackup command)
- binaries updated to 9.2.8
- set up the base backup to replicate from the master and archives, and
started
- the restore_command option is ignored, with the following message:

2014-04-13 21:07:21.386 CDT,,,22055,,534b42d7.5627,4,,2014-04-13 21:07:19
CDT,1/0,0,LOG,00000,"consistent recovery state reached at
1E6/F9FFE880",,,,,,,,"CheckRecoveryConsistency, xlog.c:7371",""
2014-04-13 21:07:21.387 CDT,,,22053,,534b42d6.5625,1,,2014-04-13 21:07:18
CDT,,0,LOG,00000,"database system is ready to accept read only
connections",,,,,,,,"sigusr1_handler, postmaster.c:4261",""

# recovery.conf

standby_mode=on
restore_command='/bin/tar -xzf /db/wal_archives/%f.tar.gz -C %p'

where the /db/wal_archives/ looks like this:
00000001000001ED000000F7.tar.gz
00000001000001ED000000F8.tar.gz
00000001000001ED000000F9.tar.gz

as you can see, the time line is far ahead from where the standby claims to
have reached a consistent recovery state

I tested the restore_command replacing variables and it works. Any ideas on
why it isn't being executed?

--
El genio es 1% inspiración y 99% transpiración.
Thomas Alva Edison
http://pglearn.blogspot.mx/