NEWS
Quality Road rolls to dominant Woodward win
Posted: Saturday, September 04, 2010 6:04 PM
QUALITY ROAD
Adam Coglianese/NYRA photo
To view the Woodward Stakes, click here.
by Phil Janack
Quality Road took the lead from longshot Arcodoro leaving the backstretch and drew off through the stretch to win the $750,000 Woodward Stakes (G1) by 4 ¾ lengths on Saturday at Saratoga Race Course.
The Woodward was the fourth win in five starts this year for the Edward P. Evans homebred and his first start since finishing second by a head to Blame in the $750,000 Whitney Handicap (G1) at Saratoga on August 7.
“This is the race we expected,” winning trainer Todd Pletcher said. “He’s proven before that he’s a top-class horse, and he proved it again today.”
Favored at 3-to-10, Quality Road completed 1 1/8 miles in 1:50 on a track rated as fast, more than a second slower than the winning time of 1:48.88 for the Whitney.
“I think the final time was reflective of the racetrack,” Pletcher said. “We got beat a short head in the last one, but I think he redeemed himself today on a track that didn’t appear to be playing very fast. I was a little concerned that it might be a little taxing and tiring when you see a race like the Forego [Stakes (G1)] go in 1:22 and change. That’s a race that’s generally going to go at least a second faster than that.”
Breaking from post three under jockey John Velazquez, Quality Road got out well but yielded the lead to 28.50-to-1 outsider Arcodoro, who led through fractions of :24.06 and :47.76 through a half-mile.
Velazquez moved Quality Road to the outside on the backstretch and he took command willingly approaching the far turn. With one tap from Velazquez at the head of the stretch, the four-year-old Elusive Quality colt began to open up on the field and crossed the finish line in complete control.
Multiple Grade 3 winner Mythical Power, trained by Racing Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, held off fast-closing Tranquil Manner by a half-length for second. Mine That Bird, the 2009 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) winner, finished last of seven, beaten by 21 1/4 lengths while wearing blinkers for the first time.
Pletcher felt Quality Road reestablished himself as a major contender for Horse of the Year honors. He will have one more start in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) on November 6 at Churchill Downs.
“I think we certainly can make a strong argument for it,” he said about the Eclipse Award for Horse of the Year. “He’s accomplished a lot this year with [winning] the Donn [Handicap (G1)] and the Met Mile (G1) and this race. He certainly put himself in a position if he wins the next one.”
For an Equibase chart, click here.
Phil Janack is a Saratoga-based Thoroughbred Times correspondent
READER COMMENTS
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Posted by: Handicapper, Inglewood, CA on September 08, 2010 at 04:48 PM
Quality Road always looks good just as long as he does not have to meet the likes of Zenyatta, Blame, Lookin At Lucky, real race horse's, not like the one he just beat in the Woodward who either didn't belong in a graded race or need to be retired. Not to say that Quality Road is not a good race horse, he is good but not good enough to win a race like the B.C.Classic.
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Posted by: commonsense101, lexington, KY on September 08, 2010 at 06:28 AM
Wow, Even with QR big win in the Woodward, he wasnt able to knock Blame out of the #2 spot on the NTRA poll for week 27 through Sept. 6. And I dont think none will knock Zen out of her #1 spot.
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Posted by: georgette, freedom, PA on September 06, 2010 at 03:01 PM
I, too feel MTB should go back to Chip and that Chantal should ride him. Correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems when he was in Canada with Chantal riding him was when he had his most wins. I also feel his KD win was the best KD ever. How could a horse run so well as he did in the KD and not win since?
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Posted by: Curlin, Lexington, KY on September 05, 2010 at 08:33 AM
Amazed, Apparently you dont watch Zenyata at all. YOU are knew to horse racing and just spew off at the mouth. Zen fans know her. Pace doesnt matter with Zenyatta, she is like a locomotive. she loves to win, she has been ran lighter this year, because like last year she will be ready for the boys.
Zenyatta runs like a colt. she is huge adn no other horse has her late closing kick. This is Zneyatta's year.....you just watch her do her thing in the BCC.
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Posted by: Amazed, Palm Beach, FL on September 05, 2010 at 07:55 AM
I think that Quality Road is the best horse in the country right now. Pletcher has not hidden his horse from competition so he's the real deal.
I agree with the sportscasters who mentioned that the reason Quality Road lost to Blame is probably because the jockey kept trying to "save" horse and was constantly looking back.
Honestly, in the BC, I will probably be rooting for the girls. Rachel Alexandra fan, and then a Zenyatta fan, but the truth is that Quality Road just seems to have it, and I will not be surprised if he wins it all.
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