NEWS
Quality Road’s records put him among all-time greats
Posted: Thursday, October 21, 2010 9:49 AM
QUALITY ROAD
Bob Coglianese photo
by Pete Denk
Will Farish’s statement that Quality Road is “the most important horse to go to stud since A.P. Indy” was a bold, subjective claim, but not without merit considering the brilliance and versatility Quality Road has displayed in his 12-race career.
Only one horse has broken more track records on dirt in graded stakes than Quality Road: three-time champion and 1980 Horse of the Year Spectacular Bid. The Racing Hall of Fame inductee broke six track records in graded stakes races during a 26-win, 30-race career.
Spectacular Bid also equaled the track record going 5 1/2 furlongs at Pimlico Race Course in an allowance race in his second career start in 1978 and broke the track record for 1 1/16 miles at Delaware Park in an allowance race in ’79.
Quality Road, a four-year-old by Elusive Quality who will retire to the Farish family’s Lane’s End in Versailles, Kentucky, after the 2010 Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1), has broken three track records on dirt in graded stakes.
In the 2009 Amsterdam Stakes (G2) at Saratoga Race Course, Quality Road stumbled at the break but came running five wide to hit the wire in 1:13.74 for 6 1/2 furlongs. That performance broke a 30-year-old track record of 1:14 2/5 set by Topsider in 1979.
The then-three-year-old Quality Road carried 123 pounds in his Amsterdam win while five-year-old Topsider carried 115 pounds setting his record.
Earlier in 2009, Quality Road broke the track record for 1 1/8 miles at Gulfstream Park when he won the Florida Derby Presented by BlackBerry (G1) in 1:47.72. Quality Road re-broke that record this year when he won the Donn Handicap (G1) by 12 3/4 lengths in 1:47.49.
Although Gulfstream’s reconfigured dirt surface is only six years old—it was redone before the 2005 meeting—the authenticity of Quality Road’s performance was confirmed by speed figures. Thoro-Graph, the New York-based company that computes performance figures, gave Quality Road a –7 1/2 for his Donn win, the fastest figure Thoro-Graph ever has given out, according to Thoro-Graph’s Jerry Brown.
Quality Road is unique in his ability to set track records sprinting and routing. He also features a fast two-year-old victory and a strong pedigree.
Quality Road is by 2004 leading general sire Elusive Quality and out of the Strawberry Road (Aus) mare Kobla, a full sister to 1997 champion three-year-old filly Ajina.
Quality Road has won eight of 12 starts and earned $2,232,830 in three seasons. He has never finished worse than third.
Pete Denk is sales editor of Thoroughbred Times
READER COMMENTS
|
|
|
Posted by: charles, Santa Fe, NM on December 18, 2010 at 08:29 PM
Quality Road a routing horse? When did a extended miler horse like QR become a routing horse? Sorry but a router is a horse that can compete at races 10 furlongs or longer unless of course that definition has changed.
Report Abuse 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted by: Jeff, Custer, KY on October 23, 2010 at 10:06 PM
Carol from Philly, you said he has the class but lacks the longevity, weight carrying, and distance. Well, he is racing at 4 and thats longer than some All-Time greats have. He has won carrying 126lbs and thats the most weight Secretariat carried to victory, not to mention giving away weight in every race of this year including 5lbs to Blame in the Whitney. He has lost twice at 1 1/4 mile to who was it.........oh yeah the 3 yr old champion Summer Bird. He set a record at 1 1/8 mile so i think he can get the distance. In my eyes the longevity, weight carrying, and distance are proven.
Report Abuse
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted by: Jeff, Custer, KY on October 23, 2010 at 09:29 PM
Whether you think he is an all-time great or not, his career has been great. If he had stayed healthy the whole time who knows what the possibilities could have been. He's proven he can run and win and set records in the process. I love Zenyatta and I think she will go down as one of the greatest ever, but if Quality Road wins the Classic, he should beat her for HOTY. I cant wait for Nov 6th. Should be a GREAT weekend of racing at Churchill.
Report Abuse
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted by: Carol, Philadelphia, PA on October 23, 2010 at 08:35 PM
This a joke right? Sure he is super talented, but an all time great? He's
been my 2nd favorite horse since his 2nd race, but give me a break. All time greats need class, longevity, weight carrying and the ability to get a distance of ground. He's got the class but the others are unproven to date.
Report Abuse
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted by: steven, tornnto, ON on October 23, 2010 at 01:04 PM
I think Quality Road had the potential to be deemed a truly great horse, except that because of his injury last year and the reluctance to run him more often left too much room for doubt. He still has one more reason to augment his reputation.
Report Abuse
|
|
|
|
|
|
