NEWS
Quality Road goes for Woodward rebound
Posted: Wednesday, September 01, 2010 6:28 PM
QUALITY ROAD
Bob Coglianese photo
by Jeff Lowe
Quality Road will get a redemptive chance on Saturday in the $750,000 Woodward Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course, four weeks after finishing second by a head to Blame as the 1-to-2 favorite in the Whitney Handicap (G1).
Blame will be in Kentucky on Saturday, awaiting the Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes (G1) on October 2 at Belmont Park, while Quality Road seeks his third Grade 1 victory of the year in the 1 1/8-mile Woodward.
“We were a half a head short of [being unbeaten] this year,” Quality Road’s trainer, Todd Pletcher, said. “Every race is paramount; they’re all important. If you lose, you regroup and try again, to regain his confidence, and regain our confidence.”
A plan Pletcher and owner-breeder Edward P. Evans devised to build toward the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) on November 6 hit its first snag in the stretch of the Whitney, when Quality Road was caught after setting the pace. He carried five more pounds than Blame. In the Woodward, all seven starters will tote 126 pounds.
“We’re hoping for someone to show enough initiative so he can follow someone,” Pletcher said. “That would be our 'Plan A.' ”
Convocation will take a second shot at Quality Road. He finished fourth in the Metropolitan Handicap (G1) and bounced back with an optional claiming victory on August 4 at the Woodward distance.
“He has a victory at the distance here,” said trainer Jimmy Jerkens, fresh from his Travers Stakes (G1) win on August 28 with Afleet Express. “You have to think that’s big going into a stakes.”
Tranquil Manner will go the same route off a 1 1/8-mile optional claiming win on August 11 at Saratoga. An A.P. Indy colt out of multiple Grade 1 winner Composure, by Touch Gold, Tranquil Manner finished fifth in the 1½-mile Brooklyn Handicap (G2) in his lone career stakes start for owner-breeder Darley Stable.
“It’s a bit of a stretch,” trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said. “Obviously, we don’t have any visions of beating Quality Road. But he’s an A.P. Indy colt, and if he hits the board it would help his value as a stallion. Plus, we have 12 seconds this meet, and it would be nice to get 13.”
Mine That Bird, who was fifth in the Whitney in his seventh straight loss since winning the 2009 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1), will change things up with a new jockey and the addition of blinkers.
Rajiv Maragh replaces Calvin Borel aboard the gelding for Racing Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas.
“We needed to move forward,” Lukas said. “The blinkers, the rider change—we weren’t getting results with the way things were.”
Jeff Lowe is a Thoroughbred Times staff writer
September 04, $750,000, 3yo & up, 1 1/8M, Saratoga Race Course, 5:48 PM ET
| Post |
Horse |
Sire |
Weight |
Jockey |
Trainer |
| 1 |
Convocation 4, c. |
Pulpit |
126 |
Javier Castellano |
James Jerkens |
| 2 |
Mine That Bird 4, g. |
Birdstone |
126 |
Rajiv Maragh |
D. Lukas |
| 3 |
Quality Road 4, c. |
Elusive Quality |
126 |
John Velazquez |
Todd Pletcher |
| 4 |
Arcodoro 4, c. |
Medaglia d'Oro |
126 |
David Cohen |
Eric Guillot |
| 5 |
Indian Dance 4, g. |
Indian Charlie |
126 |
Kent Desormeaux |
Lawrence Murray |
| 6 |
Tranquil Manner 4, c. |
A.P. Indy |
126 |
Alan Garcia |
Kiaran McLaughlin |
| 7 |
Mythical Power 4, c. |
Congaree |
126 |
Martin Garcia |
Bob Baffert |
READER COMMENTS
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Posted by: JR, Destin, FL on September 03, 2010 at 08:29 PM
Good call DW!
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Posted by: Handicapper, Inglewood, CA on September 02, 2010 at 07:15 PM
Mr. Baffert has entered Mythical Power in the Woodward, whenever the money is laid out Mr. Baffert is always there and most of the time he also collect's. Q.R. has distance limitation's and 10 furlongs is too far for him, and at 9 furlongs he is still suspect. B.C. Mile anyone ??????
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Posted by: Bob, Richmond, VA on September 02, 2010 at 06:11 PM
What I see on this race card as competition. This should be an easy bounce back win for Quality Road. But I'm still struggling with how well he'll actually do in the Breeders Cup Classic? If the Classic were 9 furlongs? He might be the horse to beat. But at 10 furlongs. He's "iffy."
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Posted by: Bob, Richmond, VA on September 02, 2010 at 01:37 AM
Really would like to see Quality Road bounce back an emphatic winner at Saratoga in the Woodward Stakes. If he wins going away impressively? Then there's no doubt that Todd Pletcher will want to race Quality Road in the Breeders Cup Classic. If Quality Road struggles to barely hold on for the win at 9 furlongs. Or heaven forbid, get defeated again. Then I think we may be looking at a very real possibility of Todd Pletcher considering the Breeders Cup Dirt Mile instead of the Classic for Quality Road. Because unless he does something just completely out of the ordinary in the Woodward? Something that's just unbelievable that Quality Road accomplished? He would be definitely be the favorite, and the horse to beat in the Breeders Cup Dirt Mile. He will not be favored, or realistically, IMO, the horse to beat in the Breeders Cup Classic. I'm afraid he falls in about 3rd or 4th down that line right now.
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Posted by: Jack, Baltimore, MD on September 02, 2010 at 01:29 AM
I scoff at the notion of William Hills making Lookin At Lucky co-favorite with Zenyatta at 4-1 for the Classic. There's only one horse that should be favorite for the Breeders Cup Classic, and that's Zenyatta. To be the best. You have to beat the best. And no one has done it yet. Nor will they. I think Quality Road needs to make a big statement in the Woodward. Or else his stamina will be in question for the Classic at 1-1/4. Especially with Blame and Zenyatta both bearing down on him in that long, forever Churchill Downs stretch. Zenyatta should be lone favorite for the Classic. Blame, a very close second choice. And Quality Road and perhaps Lookin At Lucky, depending on the outcome of the Woodward, co-third choices. All three of these colts are very talented. And will make formidable opponents for Zenyatta in the Classic. But Zenyatta has a couple of things that these three colts doesn't going for her. First of all. It's a total and complete myth that this mare cannot run and win over conventional dirt. Two of her most impressive 18 wins have come at Oaklawn in the Apple Blossom Handicap on conventional dirt in 2008 and 2010. Secondly. Stamina. Zenyatta could still be running while these three colts were on the verge of collapse if it were a 1-1/2 race. Zenyatta has exactly whats needed to defeat all three. Talent. Stamina. Physical strength. Stride. And all the gears she needs to shift through to run down whatever horses are in front of her. Provided Mike Smith times his ride on Zenyatta correctly. No way Quality Road, Blame, or Lookin At Lucky stop Zenyatta from winning back to back Classics. Likely retiring undefeated. Probably 20 for 20 by then. A 3-time Breeders Cup world champion. Then, on that day, she'll rightfully take her place among American racing's all-time greats. JMO.
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