Good article on the Travers-bound Quality Road
DiscreetCat
Moderator
from the New York Daily News:
SARATOGA SPRINGS - Quality Road always has shown the ability.
The question is whether he can get the mile- and-a-quarter distance of the Aug.29 Travers Stakes, where Mine That Bird, Summer Bird and possibly Rachel Alexandra may all line up in the starting gate against him.
Scratched the Monday before the Kentucky Derby because of quarter cracks to his right front and hind hooves, Quality Road never got tested in the Triple Crown series at the classic distances.
"It's a big question because he lost so much training," jockey John Velazquez said.
The chiseled colt returned to action on Aug.3 at Saratoga, winning the Grade II Amsterdam Stakes in track-record time of 1:13.74 for 6-1/2 furlongs.
It was his first start since taking the March28 Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park, also in track-record time, when he covered the mile and one-eighth in 1:47.72.
Yesterday, Quality Road recorded his first workout since the Amsterdam score, breezing six furlongs in 1:13.19, the fastest work of five at the distance.
"I let him gallop out very good," Velazquez said. "Hopefully, that will be enough. I don't know."
One person who will know is trainer Todd Pletcher, who will attempt to stretch Quality Road out to get the mile-and-a-quarter distance in just 26 days.
Pletcher believes Quality Road can do it because of the class he showed earlier this year winning both the Fountain of Youth Stakes and the Florida Derby.
"He has a good foundation from earlier in the year from the races at Gulfstream Park," the trainer said. "What I saw this morning was how he finished up and galloped out. In a perfect world his next race would be at a mile and an eighth, but it's not. We have to call on his class a little bit. We're asking what I think is a special horse to do something you normally wouldn't ask a lot of them to do. But we're doing it because of who he is."
As for Quality Road's troubled feet, Pletcher believes those problems are behind him.
"This horse's feet have not been an issue at all for us," Pletcher said. "We haven't had to do anything. We have Ray Amato, who I think is one of the best blacksmiths in the world. Basically, he's been shoeing him like he does all other horses and knock on wood, thankfully, we have had no issues."
The 76-year-old Amato learned his craft from his dad and has been shoeing horses for 55 years, the last 14 with Pletcher.
"I changed his angles a little bit, which to us, is very, very important to get them at the proper angles," Amato said of Quality Road's hooves. "His feet are okay and the quarter cracks are all right."
Amato gives credit to Pletcher.
"Todd, this is the greatest trainer, believe me when I tell you," Amato said. "I worked for the best of them and they're all great but he's the guy I can put next to Hirsch Jacobs."
Amato worked for Jacobs, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1958 after saddling 3,596 winners as a trainer.
Quality Road is scheduled to work again on Sunday, and will be reshod by Amato on Aug.29, the morning of the Travers.
SARATOGA SPRINGS - Quality Road always has shown the ability.
The question is whether he can get the mile- and-a-quarter distance of the Aug.29 Travers Stakes, where Mine That Bird, Summer Bird and possibly Rachel Alexandra may all line up in the starting gate against him.
Scratched the Monday before the Kentucky Derby because of quarter cracks to his right front and hind hooves, Quality Road never got tested in the Triple Crown series at the classic distances.
"It's a big question because he lost so much training," jockey John Velazquez said.
The chiseled colt returned to action on Aug.3 at Saratoga, winning the Grade II Amsterdam Stakes in track-record time of 1:13.74 for 6-1/2 furlongs.
It was his first start since taking the March28 Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park, also in track-record time, when he covered the mile and one-eighth in 1:47.72.
Yesterday, Quality Road recorded his first workout since the Amsterdam score, breezing six furlongs in 1:13.19, the fastest work of five at the distance.
"I let him gallop out very good," Velazquez said. "Hopefully, that will be enough. I don't know."
One person who will know is trainer Todd Pletcher, who will attempt to stretch Quality Road out to get the mile-and-a-quarter distance in just 26 days.
Pletcher believes Quality Road can do it because of the class he showed earlier this year winning both the Fountain of Youth Stakes and the Florida Derby.
"He has a good foundation from earlier in the year from the races at Gulfstream Park," the trainer said. "What I saw this morning was how he finished up and galloped out. In a perfect world his next race would be at a mile and an eighth, but it's not. We have to call on his class a little bit. We're asking what I think is a special horse to do something you normally wouldn't ask a lot of them to do. But we're doing it because of who he is."
As for Quality Road's troubled feet, Pletcher believes those problems are behind him.
"This horse's feet have not been an issue at all for us," Pletcher said. "We haven't had to do anything. We have Ray Amato, who I think is one of the best blacksmiths in the world. Basically, he's been shoeing him like he does all other horses and knock on wood, thankfully, we have had no issues."
The 76-year-old Amato learned his craft from his dad and has been shoeing horses for 55 years, the last 14 with Pletcher.
"I changed his angles a little bit, which to us, is very, very important to get them at the proper angles," Amato said of Quality Road's hooves. "His feet are okay and the quarter cracks are all right."
Amato gives credit to Pletcher.
"Todd, this is the greatest trainer, believe me when I tell you," Amato said. "I worked for the best of them and they're all great but he's the guy I can put next to Hirsch Jacobs."
Amato worked for Jacobs, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1958 after saddling 3,596 winners as a trainer.
Quality Road is scheduled to work again on Sunday, and will be reshod by Amato on Aug.29, the morning of the Travers.