Quality Road skips Cigar

11/25/2009 1:44 PM | drf.com

HALLENDALE, FL.- FEBRUARY 28, 2009: John R. Velazquez rides Quality Road (VA) during the 63rd running of the Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth (Grade II) at Gulfstream Park in Hallendale Beach, FL.

Quality Road will not run in Saturday's Grade 1 Hill 'n' Dale Cigar Mile at Aqueduct, his connections said Wednesday afternoon.

After Quality Road became unruly at the gate and cut himself, necessitating that he be scratched from the Breeders' Cup Classic at Santa Anita on Nov. 7, trainer Todd Pletcher had hoped to make the Cigar Mile with the star-crossed 3-year-old who earlier in the year won the Grade 1 Florida Derby. And though his training and gate-schooling sessions went well in New York, the prospect of an off track Saturday was one of several factors that led owner Ed Evans and his farm manager, Chris Baker, to pull the plug.

If Saturday's Cigar Mile Handicap does have the possibility of an off track, then I think it wise to hold off running Quality Road over it. This is a colt that really need's a race that will restore confidence. His last two start's have been over an off track, and though his talent was able to pull him through to a show and a place finish in both, he clearly did not perform, imo, to his best ability on an off track. I think waiting for a fast, dry track will suite him much better and give him a much a better chance of finding the winner's circle. jmo.

Rossington | 11/25/2009 4:00 PM | - Re: Quality Road skips Cigar