Apparently outkicked by fellow closer Balnikhov in midstretch, Truly Quality only found his top gear in the final strides of Friday’s $202,000 Hollywood Turf Cup (G2) at Del Mar. But the 8-5 favorite surged in the nick of time to prevail by a half-length and extend his stakes-winning streak to three.
A homebred for George Strawbridge Jr.’s Augustin Stables, Truly Quality is climbing the class ladder in an orderly manner. The Jonathan Thomas trainee aced his stakes debut in the Sept. 7 Colonial Turf Cup, establishing a new 1 1/2-mile course record of 2:25.16 at Colonial Downs, and took the next step in the Oct. 5 Singspiel (G3) at Woodbine, despite not being in love with the rain-affected course.
The Hollywood Turf Cup, as a Grade 2 event, represented the next rung of the ladder. Truly Quality again rose to the occasion, fueling hopes of pursuing the 2025 Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) over this course and distance.
The scratch of Cabo Spirit removed a key pace player, leaving Fearless Soldier as the lone speed, but the race shape proved to be deceptive. The sedate tempo was no hindrance to the closers and no help to those who raced prominently.
Fearless Soldier strolled through fractions of :24.73, :49.27, 1:13.74, and 1:38.71 on the firm turf, only to give way abruptly on the final turn. The tracking Goldeneye briefly struck the front, but he too succumbed inside the final furlong.
While Nineeleventurbo pounced from midpack, the most significant action was unfolding from further back and wider out. Balnikhov, hitherto unhurried in last, unleashed a quick burst that propelled him past the entire field.
Truly Quality, who had only Balnikhov behind him early, was winding up more gradually into the lane. Caught for speed when the sharper Balnikhov whizzed by, the Quality Road gelding was still getting himself organized. But once he was ready to deploy for Vincent Cheminaud, Truly Quality roared back to complete 1 1/2 miles in 2:28.54.
“To be honest, I was careful about my horse today,” Cheminaud said, referring to how Truly Quality would negotiate the tighter dimensions of Del Mar. “The last time was Woodbine, it was a long straight. This time we know this racetrack is a short racetrack so, I was a little bit scared, but my horse was good today. The track was very good to us, and he gave me a nice answer for the end.”
“For whatever reason,” Thomas said, “he’s falling off of the pace, but he comes running, and I thought his stamina really came into play today. Great ride given the circumstances with the wide post, but we were able to save ground. Had we been drawn a little closer maybe we could have been in a position or two further ahead, but it’s hard to complain with the outcome.”
Runner-up Balnikhov was 1 1/2 lengths clear of Nineeleventurbo in third. Rockemperor had the bad luck of being stuck behind the imploding Fearless Soldier, or else he might have rallied for better than fourth.
Next came Divin Propos, None Above the Law, the eased duo of Dicey Mo Chara and Fearless Soldier. Rimprotector was withdrawn along with Cabo Spirit, who was cross-entered to Saturday’s Seabiscuit H. (G2).
Truly Quality’s resume reads 13-5-4-3, $498,995, compiled exclusively on turf. The four-year-old is the very definition of a late developer. Unraced at two, he took three starts to break his maiden as a sophomore. Truly Quality needed six tries to clear his entry-level allowance condition, a goal at last attained in a six-length romp at Aqueduct on May 27. He nearly followed up next out in a second-level allowance at Saratoga, where he was thwarted by costly trouble, and signaled that it was time to aim higher. That’s his only loss in his past five starts.
The Kentucky-bred is a grandson of Strawbridge’s Forever Together, the champion turf female of 2008 with scores in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1) and First Lady (G1) as well as back-to-back Diana (G1) trophies.
Truly Quality is out of Forever Together’s first registered foal, Grade 3-placed Truly Together, by Smart Strike. Truly Together is also the dam of current Dance Smartly (G2) winner Mouffy, who scored that signature victory at Woodbine two races after half-brother Truly Quality captured the Singspiel.
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