2006 derby field tells the story pretty well.
Barbaro- injured, deceased
Bluegrass Cat- retired
Steppenwolfer- plodder that never moved forward at 4
Jazil- plodder that never moved forward at 4
Brother Derek- injured, retired
Showing Up- moved to turf, turned into a beast
Sweetnorthernsaint- never got back to his 3yo spring form
Deputy Glitters- fell apart after ok Ohio Derby
Point Determined- ?
Seaside Retreat- turned out ok in Canada
Storm Treasure- turned out ok as a turf horse
Lawyer Ron- transferred, freaked
Cause to Believe- ?
Flashy Bull- never ran fast races but found ways to win a few big races, turned out ok
Private Vow- ?
Sinister Minister- only ran a couple times in Cal, not well
Bob and John- ?
AP Warrior- retired
Sharp Humor- injured, retired
Keyed Entry- headcase sprinter

Okay, so call it a work. You want to bet a 3 year old that has never been 10f coming off an injury layoff of close to 5 months off of works?

This is no indictment of the horse's talent. I just don't see how he could be ready.

This used to be the way almost all horses were prepped off of layoffs

How is what Quality Road doing any different from the long line of fillies that used to prep for the Alabama in the Test (aside fom the fact that he'll get 26 days to recover instead of only nine)?

both of you guys just said "used to".

Chuck, you are the trainer. What is your opinion on the horse being ready?

So cause it worked on great horses in the past it can't work on horses today? I don't question whether Quality Road will be fit for 10 furlongs, I just question whether he is a 10 furlong horse to begin with.

For anyone that is looking forward to betting against Quality Road you should be really pissed at the Beyer people right now for using their handheld time instead of the official time to give him a 103 figure instead of a 119. Can you imagine how much more money he would have drawn coming off a 119?

Quality road is a quality horse under the care of a quality trainer with the riding services of a quality jockey. There is no reason to believe this horse, who had a quality return to the races on Monday, will perform poorly in a quality race like the Travers on a quality track like Saratoga.

With quality weather?

NT

[quote=parsixfarms]How is what Quality Road doing any different from the long line of fillies that used to prep for the Alabama in the Test (aside fom the fact that he'll get 26 days to recover instead of only nine)?[/QUOTE


THat has Nothing to do with it now it might if all those fillies came off of a 4 month layoff in the test.

I do as well. I hope they run Rachel. It will be an exciting race. I doubt they will however. I am sure Jackson/Assmussan will put Kensei in as Rachel probably has less to prove in their eyes. It sure would be fun. But in response to Serlings Twitter question, I still don't think I will go to the track just for that race unless I get invited again.

A quality comment Mr. Pants!

I don't know what to think of Quality Road at 10f. His Florida Derby performance was certainly impressive, but there really didn't seem to be any clues to me in that race one way or the other regarding how he would like the extra furlong. I never really like Elusive Quality's stretching out past 8.5, but memories of Smarty Jones and Raven's Pass make me wonder if I'm just flat out wrong about that. The dam is bred to run all day.
He's a tough one to figure, but he has enormous talent and I actually like the sprint/route angle off a layoff. If the race was 9f, I think he'd be really tough. At ten....I just don't know.

Totally agree.

Assume the horse wasn't fit. Then you have to deal with it running that monster effort and needing one?:rolleyes:

But someone needs to explain to me how blazing 6.5F gets him fit to run 10F.

He probably has enough natural speed for 10F, so I don't get having to tighten him up or put some speed into him. There's still the stamina factor.

I think that NYRA will step up and do the 'right' thing for the Travers: soup up the track, get it favoring frontrunners, and anticipate some 'monster' efforts from the kickback specialists.

If you add the track bias factor to the 'tightner' and the 'elixir' factors, you have a formula for certain success.:rolleyes:

There is no reason why he couldnt be ready. Pletcher rarely runs a short horse in any case. Obviously if the foot becomes an issue of any sort, that changes everything.

Trainers stopped doing it because somewhere along the line horses werent allowed to lose and were supposed be ready to fire their best shot every time.

Stop it.

There is no way he would have ever got a 119 if they used the final time ... which was consistant with how every 6.5f race at last years meet was timed.

You really think that if they accepted the final time .. they still would have had two dead on the board 20K MCL'ers both running an 86 Beyer in the next race?

They have the 4th place finisher in that race jumping up 30 points and running a gigantic new top in career start number 7 while having trouble in multiple spots.

You make it sound as if this horse was out of training for four months. In reality, it was closer to four weeks. He had 5-6 works heading into the Amsterdam. This horse has back distance foundation, having won the Florida Derby at 9F. Fitness should not be an issue.

I still say fitness wll be an issue and I will make a strong stand against him at the the Windows. THe last 1/4 mile will be his undoing hey but if I am wrong I will be the first to say I was.