QUALITY ROAD (Elusive Quality), impressive winner of the Florida Derby (G1)
and Fountain of Youth S. (G2) earlier this year, makes his long-awaited return
to action Monday when he faces five rivals in the $150,000
Amsterdam S. (G2) at Saratoga. The 6 1/2-furlong contest, Quality Road’s
first since being transferred from trainer James Jerkens to Todd Pletcher, could
be used as a springboard toward the August 29 Travers S. (G1), which would mark
the Edward Evans’ homebred’s first attempt beyond nine furlongs.
A winner in three of four career starts, Quality Road stamped himself as the
potential Kentucky Derby (G1) favorite with a strong 1 3/4-length tally in the
Florida Derby on March 28. A quarter-crack in his right hind foot was discovered
by Jerkens as the colt returned to the winner’s circle after that race, however,
and, after another quarter-crack developed in his right front hoof, the decision
was made to withdraw the colt’s name from consideration on the Monday before the
Kentucky Derby. Slow to heal, Quality Road was forced to miss the entire Triple
Crown series and was ultimately moved to the Pletcher barn in mid-June.
Quality Road, who won his debut at the distance at Aqueduct in November, drew
post 4 for the Amsterdam and will attempt to keep pace with a strong group of
sprint specialists. The most notable is CAPT. CANDYMAN CAN (Candy Ride [Arg]),
who is three-for-four this season with scores in the Hutcheson S. (G2), Bay
Shore S. (G3) and Matt Winn S. His only loss, to Quality Road in the one-mile
Fountain of Youth, resulted in a distant fourth-place finish. Like most of the
other main contenders in the field, the Ian Wilkes charge is likely using the
Amsterdam as a stepping stone to the August 29 King’s Bishop S. (G1) at seven
furlongs.
EVERYDAY HEROES (Awesome Again), a brilliant winner of the Hirsch Jacobs S.
(G3) on the Preakness S. (G1) undercard, was beaten into second by the talented
Munnings (Speightstown) in the Woody Stephens S. (G2) on the Belmont S. (G1)
undercard. The Woody Stephens has already developed into a key race, with
Munnings returning to win the Tom Fool H. (G2) and third-placer Kensei (Mr.
Greeley) taking the Dwyer S. (G2) in his next attempt. Both Munnings and Kensei
were scheduled to run over the weekend, with Munnings stretching out in Sunday’s
Haskell Invitational (G1) and Kensei competing in Saturday’s Jim Dandy S. (G2).
This, too, will mark Everyday Heroes’ first start for a new trainer in Kiaran
McLaughlin. The colt, who was privately purchased by Darley following the Hirsch
Jacobs, made his final start for Tim Ritchey in the Woody Stephens.
CUSTOM FOR CARLOS (More Than Ready) enters the Amsterdam off a decisive 6
1/4-length score in the Jersey Shore S. (G3) over six furlongs, and will attempt
to keep pace with both Everyday Heroes and CABARET COWBOY (Speightstown), who
knocked out a maiden and an allowance win during the Belmont spring meet. The
Amsterdam field is rounded out by CAPTAIN CHEROKEE (Sir Cherokee), whose two
career victories at Fair Grounds last winter were at a mile or beyond.
There are two other stakes on Monday’s program. The $80,500
Fleet
Indian S. is for New York-bred fillies and mares at seven furlongs. Last year’s
Matron S. (G2) winner DOREMIFASOLLATIDO (Bernstein) is one of two
three-year-olds in the field, the other being the progressive KARAKORUM FUGITIVE
(Ten Most Wanted). Three-time stakes winner DANCE GAL DANCE (Disco Rico) should
show speed from the bell, while MORNING GALLOP (Victory Gallop) hopes to improve
on her second-place finish in the 2008 Fleet Indian in her first start since
early January.
Ten turf sophomores will travel one mile in the $70,000
Tap the Admiral S. JACK SPRATT (Candy Ride [Arg]), the winner of the Dania
Beach S. in January at Gulfstream Park, has failed to make a impact in graded
company, but the Mike Maker pupil comes off a third to Secretariat S. (G1)-bound
Driving Snow (GB) (Verglas [Ire]) in the Oliver S. at Indiana Downs. Christophe
Clement and Bill Mott have entered two apiece. Representing Mott are TAMBORIM
(Belong to Me) and STRIKE AGAIN (Dixie Union), while Clement is responsible for
GOLDEN MEXICO (Ire) (Daggers Drawn) and ENDYMION (Tapit). Tamborim and Endymion
are both cross-entered to Sunday’s Jersey Derby at Monmouth. Also likely to
attract support in the Tap the Admiral is the well-bred A. P. RIDGE (A.P. Indy),
who brings a two-race winning streak into his stakes, and turf, debut for
Jonathan Sheppard.