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PEDIGREE HANDICAPPING APRIL 11, 2009 Elusive Quality's strong three-year-old crop by Tim Holland The Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) win by Raven's Pass last October at Santa Anita propelled sire Elusive Quality into fifth place on the 2008 Leading Sires By Earnings list -- by far the highest position the stallion had achieved since Kentucky Derby (G1) and Preakness S. (G1) hero Smarty Jones helped him lead the year-end table in 2004. While those two top five finishes were bolstered through the efforts of one or two high-earning runners, Elusive Quality's fifth-place standing in the 2009 rankings reflects the efforts of seven stakes winners so far this year -- a total equaled only by Unbridled's Song. By Gone West and out of an unraced mare by United Nations H. (G1) and Bowling Green H. (G1) winner Hero's Honor, Elusive Quality showed plenty of promise winning two of his three starts before being beaten a nose in the King's Bishop S. (G2) by Honour and Glory, who had won that year’s Metropolitan H. (G1). However, Elusive Quality's ability as a racehorse on dirt was soon exposed when he failed to win in five more efforts in graded races. Put on the on the turf as a five-year-old, the Bill Mott charge seemed to have found his calling when winning his first two starts on that surface, including a memorable six-length win in the Poker H. (G3) at Belmont when he set a world record, completing a mile in 1:31 3/5. However, Elusive Quality's racing limitations were again evident when he failed as the heavy favorite in his next two starts, both on the grass, which would be his last races. Elusive Quality retired to stand at Gainsborough Farm in 1999 where he stood his first season for $10,000. His first crop produced 76 named foals from which 60 (79 percent) were winners, a high total when compared to established sires such as other sons of Gone West, Grand Slam and Mr. Greeley, who were 68 and 65 percent, respectively. Of this first group of foals, 11 became stakes winners, including the French juvenile Elusive City and other graded winners Chimichurri and Omega Code. When Elusive Quality's second crop produced nine stakes winners, including Smarty Jones (as well as, in time, the 2007 champion female sprinter Maryfield), it looked as if the sire was on his way to the top, and by 2004 he was commanding a stud fee of $100,000. However, a small 2002 crop of 34 and a decent crop of 82 in 2003 yielded just five stakes winners, the best being Vague, who won the U.A.E. One Thousand Guineas. This downturn was reflected in the sire's position in the 2005 and 2006 Leading Sires By Earnings list in which he checked in at 59th and 53rd. Seven stakes winners came from Elusive Quality's foals of 2004, and Raven's Pass was foaled the following year. After winning his first three starts as a two-year-old and finishing third in Europe's premier juvenile event, the Dewhurst S. (Eng-G1), Raven's Pass spent the first part of last year living in the shadow of the classy Henrythenavigator. However, Elusive Quality turned the tables on that rival in the Queen Elizabeth S. (Eng-G1) at Ascot in September and again in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, becoming the most important runner for Elusive Quality since Smarty Jones. With widespread three-year-old talent to represent him, Elusive Quality promises to have a banner year 2009. His prospects are led by QUALITY ROAD, whose smashing Fountain of Youth (G2) and Florida Derby (G1) triumphs established him as a leading contender for the Kentucky Derby (G1). There is an outside chance that Quality Road will not be the only representative of his sire to line up for the Run for the Roses if ZIEGFELD, a good second in the Rushaway S., surprises in the Arkansas Derby (G2) on Saturday. On the same day as the Kentucky Derby, Elusive Quality will be represented by another fancied runner in a classic, the Two Thousand Guineas (Eng-G1) at Newmarket. Sir Michael Stoute will saddle EVASIVE, winner of last year's Horris Hill S. (Eng-G3). Coincidentally, both Quality Road, in his case a quarter crack, and Evasive, his a hoof abscess, have suffered minor setbacks in their feet the last few week, but they both seem to be recovering well. Other promising colts by Elusive Quality based in England include HUNTDOWN, who was third in the Middle Park S. (Eng-G1) last year and is trained by John Gosden; and WEATHERSTAFF, who was beaten in a three way photo by Elnawin (Elnadim) and Square Eddie (Smart Strike) in the Sirenia S. (G2) on Kempton Park's Polytrack last September and hails from the Mark Johnston yard . Fillies by Elusive Quality in Europe are headed by the exciting DEVOTEE, who runs for Godolphin. After winning her maiden in wire-to-wire fashion at Saratoga last year and finishing third in the Alcibiades S. (G1) at Keeneland, Devotee was sent to winter in Dubai. In her first start at Nad Al Sheba, she was eased, but was subsequently found to have suffered a cardiac arrhythmia. She looked to be in fine shape when winning the U.A.E. Oaks 20 days later. Devotee holds an engagement in the One Thousand Guineas (Eng-G1) along with DAMANIYAT GIRL, another daughter of Elusive Quality who was an impressive seven-length maiden winner at Kempton last fall. Elusive Quality's filly prospects in America for this year are led by the Kiaran McLaughlin-trained ELUSIVE HEAT, who was an easy maiden winner in her debut at Belmont last October. In her first start of 2009, Elusive Heat finished a game second between the useful Gemswick Park (Speightstown) and the outstanding Frolic's Dream (Smoke Glacken) in the Old Hat S. (G3). Elusive Heat crushed a field of allowance runners by more 13 lengths in her last outing. With a strong three-year-old crop to his credit, it would be no great surprise to see Elusive Quality's name in the same position in the Leading Sires List at the end of the year as it was in 2004.
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