Trio on the road to Pimlico
Quarter cracks have ruled Quality Road out of a Derby tilt and the race is now on to have him ready in time for the Preakness where he could face Hull and Mr Fantasy
Quality Road’s owner/breeder Edward P Evans has suffered the disappointment of his highly talented colt being first ruled out of the line-up for the Run For The Roses and now possibly the middle leg of the Triple Crown, the Preakness Stakes.
The Jimmy Jerkens-trained son of Elusive Quality has won the G1 Florida Derby and G2 Fountain Of Youth Stakes this term and, if his quarter cracks abate and full training can be resumed in time, he would have an outstanding chance of adding a Classic victory to this haul.
Elusive Quality has already sired a dual Classic winner in Smarty Jones, his second-crop star of the 2004 Kentucky Derby and Preakness, who was agonisingly just touched off by Birdstone when attempting Triple Crown honors in the Belmont.
Now standing for Darley in Ireland, Raven’s Pass trounced the mighty Curlin when landing last year’s Breeders’ Cup Classic while G1 winners Maryfield, Elusive City and Camarilla testify to Elusive Quality’s global appeal, each having captured a top-flight prize on different continents.
In the US, the first weekend in May is naturally all about the Kentucky Derby. However, some eight hours earlier in the UK, the first Classic of the northern hemisphere racing season will be run at Newmarket and among the line-up for the 2,000 Guineas is another son of Elusive Quality. G3 Horris Hill Stakes winner Evasive is campaigned by leading British operation Cheveley Park Stud and their patriotic red, white and blue silks have been carried to victory by a raft of talented and well-bred individuals. Evasive is no exception to this rule: his dam Canda is by Storm Cat out of East Of The Moon, a G1-winning half-sister to Kingmambo. Evasive triumphed in two of his three starts at two and, despite a minor setback in his preparation for Saturday’s race, is still strongly fancied to add another Classic to his sire’s haul.
It is not just the colts’ Classic in which Elusive Quality is represented as for Sunday’s 1,000 Guineas, UAE Oaks winner Devotee and G3 Nell Gwyn runner-up Damaniyat Girl will both be in the line-up. Quality Road may be temporarily sidelined but Elusive Quality could yet enjoy a Classic weekend.
After two extremely promising efforts on April 25, the Preakness field may well include another two Darley-sired colts. Hull, an unbeaten son of Holy Bull, landed his first Graded Stakes success when winning the G3 Derby Trial Stakes at Churchill Downs. Bred by Mr and Mrs Robert Clinkinbeard from the Stakes-placed mare Band Queen (Chimes Band), Hull coasted to a four-length victory in Kentucky and is now three wins for three starts.
The same day, E Dubai colt Mr Fantasy added to his impressive profile with victory in the G3 Withers Stakes. A graduate of the Corra Cavalo Thoroughbreds breeding program, the three-year-old is out of the Spectacular Bid mare Twice Forbidden and only set foot on the racetrack in December. He won his first two starts by a cumulative 19 lengths and his sole defeat was when third in the Gotham Stakes to Kentucky Derby fancy I Want Revenge. Like Quality Road and Hull, he boasts excellent credentials for a crack at Classic glory on May 16 at Pimlico. Here's hoping all three of these talented colts have a chance at Classic glory.
30 April 2009