Quality Road's schedule

[RolloTomasi]

Originally Posted by DaTruth

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.

Actually, many of those made their next start in the Oaklawn Handicap. Not sure if the NO Handicap has been repositioned along with the LA Derby, but in previous years it was a no-brainer to go from one to the other.

The Dubai World Cup and trainer's wanting to "save" their horses for the Breeder's Cup is the main culprit here, IMO.

[DaTruth]

Originally Posted by RolloTomasi

Actually, many of those made their next start in the Oaklawn Handicap. Not sure if the NO Handicap has been repositioned along with the LA Derby, but in previous years it was a no-brainer to go from one to the other.

The Dubai World Cup and trainer's wanting to "save" their horses for the Breeder's Cup is the main culprit here, IMO.

The Oaklawn Handicap used to be the logical next start for horses that ran in the New Orleans Hcp. You'd be surprised how much things have changed. It might have to do with purse changes (Oaklawn Hcp was reduced to $500k in 2002 and the NO Hcp was increased to $500k in 1998), as the NO Hcp became a rich early spring objective.

Of the horses I mentioned earlier, only Concern, St. Liam, and Peace Rules went on to run in the Oaklawn Handicap after starting in the NO Hcp.

Here is a list of horses since 2000 (I won't include 2006 since the race was run at LaD b/c of Katrina) who ran in the NO Hcp and the Oaklawn Hcp in the same year:

2000: Allen's Oop, Pleasant Breeze.
2001: No runners.
2002: Graeme Hall.
2003: No runners.
2004: Peace Rules, St. Liam, Sir Cherokee.
2005: Second of June, Limehouse.
2007: Smokeyjonesutton.
2008: Circular Quay, Reporting For Duty, Silver Lord.
2009: Its A Bird, Secret Getaway, Honest Man.
2010: No runners.

[richard]

I can't see where Quality Road's pedigree is terribly compelling for breeding. It's the oft seen Mr Prospector/Northern Dancer lines cross . The best thing for him is plenty of rest when he has 2 Raise A Natives (4x4) , which can be problematic for soundness as well.

His breeding is basically a repeat of his sire's predigree. Elusive Quality is Mr Prospector/Northern Dancer and so is QR. Even the family's of both trace to Frizette . The immediate impression would be that outcrossing QR is advised.