Aaron and Marie Jones’ EXCLUSIVE QUALITY (Elusive Quality) took over by the
half-mile mark and powered clear to a half-length win in the $75,000
Spectacular
Bid S. at Gulfstream on Saturday. The 6 1/2-furlong test was the first of
six stakes events on the undercard of the Florida Derby (G1). Trained by Todd Pletcher, the bay colt showed
good speed and was prominent early, setting splits of :44 2/5 and 1:09 before
stopping the clock on the fast track in 1:15 4/5. The three-year-old was sent off at
4-5 odds and gave back $3.60, $2.40 and $2.10 under John Velazquez.
Diabolical (Artax) moved well from off the pace and fell just shy of the
winner late in a solid runner-up performance. The 3-1 third choice gave back $3
and $2.10 while completing the $4.70 exacta ($1). R Loyal Man (More Than Ready)
was next, paying $2.10 while completing the $7.60 trifecta ($1) at 5-2, and was
followed by In Summation (Put It Back) and Carvajal (Frisk Me Now). Beacon Shine
(Montbrook) was withdrawn.
Exclusive Quality has now posted three consecutive wins to move his mark to
4-3-1-0 with earnings of $92,600. The winner, who is out of the unraced First
Glimmer (Glitterman), was bred in the Sunshine State by Manali Farm and fetched a bid of $850,000 at the 2004 Keeneland September
Yearling Sale.
Later on the card, Ryan Haynes’ LITTLE THUNDER (Sword Dance [Ire]) spurted
clear on the final turn and cruised home the easiest of winners in the $100,000
Artax H. Tracking pacesetter Auguri (Arg) (Luhuk) through early splits of :22
3/5 and :44 2/5, the four-year-old took over and eliminated any drama as he
sustained a large gap all the way to the wire. The final margin of victory was
five lengths, and the 10-1 shot gave back $23.20, $11.20 and $4.60 while
finishing the 7 1/2 furlongs in 1:27 4/5.
Nightmare Affair (Out of Place) closed stoutly from off the pace to be a
clear second, 3 3/4 lengths clear of his nearest pursuer. The 11-1 shot paid
$10.80 and $4 while completing the $108.50 exacta ($1). Gygistar (Prospector’s
Music) closed for the show, good for $2.60 as the 6-5 favorite. The winning trifecta was
worth $281.30 ($1). Blazing Purrsuit (Tale of the Cat) was next and followed by
Middle Earth (Dixieland Band), Auguri and Dark Cheetah (Storm Cat).
Little Thunder upped his career mark to 14-6-5-1 with a bankroll of $153,586.
The colt was claimed for the bargain price of $16,000 from his maiden win in
October, and has captured five of six starts since. He was bred in Florida by
Gilbert Campbell and is out of the multiple stakes-placed Beaties for Real
(Unreal Zeal), who also produced Grade 3 winner and recent Florida Breeders’
Distaff runner-up, Friel’s for Real (Sword Dance [Ire]).
Dogwood Stable’s DRUM MAJOR (Dynaformer) slipped through on the rail exiting
the turn for home and opened a clear lead to take the $75,000
Lure S. over Gulfstream’s
firm turf. After rating behind splits of :23
3/5, :46 4/5 and 1:10, Drum Major drew off by 1 3/4 lengths to complete the one-mile affair in 1:32 3/5 under Rafael Bejarano.
The George Weaver trainee paid $7.40, $4.40 and $3 as the 5-2 favorite, while
Rebel Rebel (Ire) (Revoque) hit the wire in second to give $5 and $3.60
at 4-1. Wishingitwas (Sandpit [Brz]) returned $12 for third at 36-1. The $1
exotics paid $14.50 (exacta), $211.70 (trifecta) and $1,128.30 (3-1-2-8
superfecta), with Saint Stephen (Saint Ballado) in fourth. Terrific Storm (Storm Cat), Sir Shackleton (Miswaki), Kennel Up (Joyeux Danseur), Ecclesiastic (Pulpit), Bob’s
Proud Moment (Proud and True), Spruce Run (Repriced), Sitcom (Danzig) and
Cottage (Arg) (Ibero [Arg]) rounded out the order of finish.
Bred in Kentucky by Roger Clark, the four-year-old dark bay is the first foal
out of the multiple stakes-winning mare Endless Parade (Williamstown) and counts
himself a half-brother to an unnamed yearling colt by Giant’s Causeway and a
2006 colt by Tale of the Cat.
Drum Major sold for $85,000 at the 2003 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky July Yearling Sale and again for $200,000
at the Keeneland April
Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale in 2004.
This is Drum Major’s second stakes victory,
having previously annexed the Pete Axthelm S. last year, and he was third in the
Appleton H. (G3) earlier this year. He now has a record of
14-5-2-3 with earnings of $254,598.