Quality Road's schedule

[VOL JACK]

Originally Posted by ateamstupid

I heard Steve Allday mention yesterday on ATR that Zenyatta, as great as she is, doesn't want any part of Quality Road this year. Tongue in cheek or not, it got me to thinking, what the hell is QR doing in the barn for so long then? Almost four months off after the Donn? Then what, the Woodward if we're lucky? I understand the horse has had foot issues in the past, but he's on pace for a six-race campaign, which should be unacceptable for an aspiring champion.

Since the Donn, name one prestigious race he could have won that would have helped his HotY campaign?
The connections are taking the exact same approach to the year that I would have done.
Personally, from fan's prospective, I wish he would run in the Foster at CD against possibly Zenyatta and Rachel. From the connection's perspective, the Met Mile is a much better race to win to form a Stallion resume.

[the_fat_man]

I suspect his 'schedule' depends on the 'schedule' (availability) of the high grade elixir (and doctored tracks).

[slotdirt]

Why is it surprising that he'd only run six, seven, eight times? That's iron horse-like compared to some of his contemporaries.

[Travis Stone]

While Quality Road has won going nine furlongs, both races were at Gulfstream Park, where he obviously thrives.

I think going a one-turn mile is more up his wheelhouse and the Met Mile makes a ton of sense. This is not to say he cannot handle nine furlongs in a race like the Stephen Foster, but I think the Met Mile is a neat race, with a lot of tradition, and is a great next spot.

[NTamm1215]

QR was given a bit of time not only because of the hole in the schedule in March and April but because they hadn't really stopped on him since last July, so he had earned a bit of a rest. Especially the way horses are handled nowadays.

NT

If I were trainer he would run every week at Gulfstream and about two times the rest of the year.

[VOL JACK]

Originally Posted by NTamm1215

QR was given a bit of time not only because of the hole in the schedule in March and April but because they hadn't really stopped on him since last July, so he had earned a bit of a rest. Especially the way horses are handled nowadays.

NT

^^^^

Ateam

[ateamstupid]

Originally Posted by VOL JACK

Since the Donn, name one prestigious race he could have won that would have helped his HotY campaign?
The connections are taking the exact same approach to the year that I would have done.
Personally, from fan's prospective, I wish he would run in the Foster at CD against possibly Zenyatta and Rachel. From the connection's perspective, the Met Mile is a much better race to win to form a Stallion resume.

The Oaklawn Handicap that went to effing Duke of Mischief, perhaps? The New Orleans H. is better than nothing as well. I love it how people constantly say we have too many stakes races, then when somebody skips 2-3 months with a horse, many of those same people go "well where could he have run?"

[tector]

Originally Posted by ateamstupid

The Oaklawn Handicap that went to effing Duke of Mischief, perhaps? The New Orleans H. is better than nothing as well. I love it how people constantly say we have too many stakes races, then when somebody skips 2-3 months with a horse, many of those same people go "well where could he have run?"

You mean that Grade II race in Arkansas, that back in the late 80s and early 90s had a lot of excellent horses win it, but not that many since then? That Oaklawn Handicap?

[ateamstupid]

Originally Posted by tector

You mean that Grade II race in Arkansas, that back in the late 80s and early 90s had a lot of excellent horses win it, but not that many since then? That Oaklawn Handicap?

Oh noes! A Grade II! Surely that would've severely damaged QR's pride and turned his stud value into a negative billion dollars.

[tector]

Originally Posted by ateamstupid

Oh noes! A Grade II! Surely that would've severely damaged QR's pride and turned his stud value into a negative billion dollars.

Another idiot heard from.

No one said that, except the imaginary person you are debating (they are so much easier to convince!).

The point is a Grade II does zero for him, not that it hurts him.

Nobody else of note showed up for the damn race, either, by the way.

[Thunder Gulch]

With fragile animals and the "sheet" guys making their case, you just aren't going to see anyone run 10 graded races like Cigar did in the mid 90's.

[tector]

Originally Posted by Thunder Gulch

With fragile animals and the "sheet" guys making their case, you just aren't going to see anyone run 10 graded races like Cigar did in the mid 90's.

I believe when Cigar won the Oaklawn, it was a Grade 1.

[ateamstupid]

Originally Posted by tector

Another idiot heard from.

No one said that, except the imaginary person you are debating (they are so much easier to convince!).

The point is a Grade II does zero for him, not that it hurts him.

Nobody else of note showed up for the damn race, either, by the way.

And my point is that top racehorses' campaigns shouldn't be restricted to just 100-year-old Grade I's that attract superstars annually. Running the horse because he's fit and good would probably be fun too.

[tector]

Originally Posted by ateamstupid

And my point is that top racehorses' campaigns shouldn't be restricted to just 100-year-old Grade I's that attract superstars annually. Running the horse because he's fit and good would probably be fun too.

No doubt on that. But the game is not about "fun" that much, especially nowadays, especially at that level.

[tector]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oaklawn...cap_since_1969

[RolloTomasi]

Yep. What a shi!t race.

In the last decade alone it has attracted only BC Classic winners, Dubai World Cup winners, Donn Handicap winners (go figure), Strub winners, Big Cap winners, Woodward winners, Whitney winners, Pimlico Special winners, etc.

How about the Grade 1 Carter at 7f instead?

[tector]

What does a Grade II race do for him, for HOY or breeding?

Jesus, what a non-issue.

[RolloTomasi]

Originally Posted by tector

What does a Grade II race do for him, for HOY or breeding?

Jesus, what a non-issue.

That is to say, what does racing do for his HOY chances or his campaign towards the breeding shed?

[DaTruth]

Originally Posted by ateamstupid

The New Orleans H. is better than nothing as well.

The New Orleans Handicap has attracted some very nice horses over the last 10-15 years: Real Quiet, Funny Cide, Peace Rules, St. Liam, Concern, Ten Most Wanted, Deputy Commander, Ecton Park, Golden Missile, Mineshaft, Include, Badge of Silver, etc. You could make a argument that the rise in stature of the New Orleans Handicap has come at the expense of the Oaklawn Handicap.