Quality
Road had a special schooling session on the main track Monday morning at
Saratoga Race Course, working with the NYRA gate crew in front of the
grandstand as part of his preparations for Saturday’s Grade 1, $750,000 Whitney
Invitational Handicap.
The
4-year-old Elusive Quality colt behaved perfectly with jockey John Velazquez
aboard as he was loaded into the starting gate and backed out several times,
both alone and in company with two other Todd Pletcher-trained horses.
“It’s
just a safety net,” said Pletcher, who trains the nation’s top older male for
Edward P. Evans. “It’s going to be a little different environment [in the 1 1/8th
mile Whitney] starting in front of the grandstand, and we want to cover all
bases.”
Quality
Road will be seeking his fourth straight victory in the Whitney.