Quality Road for Breeder’s Cup Classic
Quality Road’s victory at the Woodward Stakes Grade I at the Saratoga Race Course meant more than just a $450,000 cheque for trainer Todd Pletcher. The race that took place on the 5th of September at the Saratoga Race Course in New York is the last race before the great Breeder’s Cup Classic Grade I which is scheduled to take place on the 6th of November.
Trainer Todd Pletcher told the media that Sunday’s race meant a lot to him and Quality Road, since the thoroughbred proved his mettle once again. More than the purse of the race, Todd said, this race was important for the championship record of the horse and his trainer. Since it was the last meet leading up to the Breeder’s Cup Classic, it was very significant for the assessment of the horse’s performance prior to the Breeder’s Cup Classic. Todd was pleased with the way Quality Road ran at the Saratoga Race Track this Sunday morning. He also said that eventually, the Woodward Stakes carries the highest credit for the championship honour for a race horse.
Quality Road finished the 1 1/8 mile race in just under a minute and 50 seconds, holding off Blame. Blame had previously defeated Quality Road in the Whitney Handicap Grade I at the Saratoga Springs on the 7th of August. Blame’s trainer Al Stall Jr. Said after the race that the meet progressed just like it was meant to be. He also admitted that the best horse on the track was Quality Road and thus he was supposed to win the race. He further added that Todd is one of the most devoted horse trainers in America and his horse truly deserved this victory. Todd had worked day in and day out to prove that Quality Road was the best horse.
As for Quality Road, Al Stall said that although it was unknown what the track was like, but he could see the horse making an effort for the race course and ran exactly like the way he was supposed to in order to win this race. Moreover, Al Stall called Quality Road a threat for all the other champions of the country in the Breeder’s Cup Classic.
So far this year, Quality Road has contended in five races, out of which the champion managed to win four of them including the Grade I Donn Handicap, Grade III Hal’s Hope Stakes, Grade I Metropolitan Handicap and of course, the most recent Woodward Stakes. The victory at the Woodward Stakes was Todd’s 34th win in the meets.
Todd Pletcher also revealed his plans of training Quality Road for the Breeder’s Classic Cup. Last year, this horse was defeated in the Grade I Shadwell Travers Stakes by five lengths, and finished at the third spot. While in the Grade I Jockey Club Gold Stakes, Quality Road finished the race as the runners up to clinch the winners spot. Both of these races were won by three year old Summer Bird.
Pletcher said that his horses run at their best in all the races that they contend and his aim is to make his horses run in some of the best and important races in the country. If they win or lose, that was secondary for the trainer.
The winner of the Hall of Fame in horse racing, trainer D. Wayne Lukas was amazed with the way Mine That Bird finished the Grade I Kentucky Derby last year, which was presented by Yum! Brands. However, he was utterly disappointed at the colt’s performance in the Woodward Stakes, since Mine That Bird finished the race in the last seven competitors. He told the media that he had not accepted this from Mine That Bird because if compared with the way this horse entered the race, the end result surprising to say the least. Lukas added that he was actually pleased with the horse at the beginning of the race but everything turned upside down in the last quarter of the race.
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