Quality Rocks switches to turf for Jessamine

Quality Rocks has been all quality so far after two starts (Four Footed Fotos) The last of the Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” qualifiers takes place Wednesday at Keeneland when nine two-year-old fillies in the Grade 3, $150,000 Jessamine will vie for a spot in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Santa Anita on October 31. The highly contentious affair over 1 1/16 miles marks the turf debut of Quality Rocks, who makes her first start with trainer Bill Mott. A share in the daughter of Rock Hard Ten was sold to Wachtel Stable by breeder Destiny Oaks of Ocala after her 3 1/2-length triumph in last month’s Arlington-Washington Lassie, after which she left the shedrow of trainer Bill Helmbrecht. Quality Rocks’ win in the seven-furlong Lassie followed a 4 1/2-length debut win over the Tapeta at Presque Isle Downs, and connections hope her form on synthetic will transfer to turf as Jose Lezcano takes the reins.

The remainder of the field has not yet won anything beyond a maiden race, but
there is obviously a lot of potential for many to do so. Fila Primera, Rainha Ba
Bateria, and Magnificent Margo, all won on debut at Saratoga over the summer,
while the latter two of the trio went on to finish fourth and fifth,
respectively, in the $100,000 P.G. Johnson after being floated very wide into
the first turn.

Among those exiting recent races at Kentucky Downs, one-mile debut winner
Walking the Kitten might develop into a good for trainer Mike Maker. The
Kitten’s Joy filly is a half-sister to multiple stakes winner Cannonball, who
placed in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf and Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint.

Also coming off starts over the all-turf track at Kentucky Downs are Cool
Comfort, who galloped to a 4 3/4-length maiden score in her third start for
trainer Wesley Ward, and Late Spring, an Ellis graduate who finished third as
the favorite in the Kentucky Downs Juvenile Fillies.

Completing the field are True to You, a three-length debut winner on grass at
Indiana Grand who was subsequently sixth in Churchill Downs’ Pocahontas on dirt,
and West Coast Belle, a Tapit filly who tries turf after a come-from-behind win
going 5 1/2 furlongs on Monmouth Park’s main track.

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