Quality Road

In this continuing series, we take a look ahead at US-bred and/or conceived runners entered for the upcoming weekend at the tracks on the Japan Racing Association circuit, with a focus on pedigree and/or performance in the sales ring. Here are the horses of interest for this weekend running at Hanshin and Chukyo Racecourses. The latter is the site of this weekend's Group 1 action, the Champions Cup, featuring US-bred Lemon Pop (Lemon Drop Kid). Look for the preview in Saturday's TDN Europe: Saturday, December 2, 2023 6th-HSN, ¥13,720,000 ($93k),...

Heavily favored to run his unbeaten streak to three, West Point Thoroughbreds and Woodford Racing's Integration (Quality Road) made his off price of 4-5 look like an early Christmas gift, as he parlayed a perfect trip into a dominating victory in Saturday's $250,000 GII Hill Prince S. at Aqueduct. Away without incident from the three hole, the $700,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga graduate fell into the ideal spot from third, racing in clear air, as 65-1 Laurel Valley (Laoban) set a solid pace in advance of a headstrong Equitize (GB) (Kingman {GB}),...

After announcing its presence with authority as a first-time seller on day one of the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale, the fledgling Case Clay Thoroughbred Management signed for Friday's top two lots--a pair of last-out maiden winners for $350,000 apiece--at Keeneland's single-session Horses of Racing Age Sale Friday. The co-topping Double Dream (Curlin), a winning 3-year-old half-sister to MGISW Verrazano (More Than Ready), GSW El Padrino (Pulpit), et al, will be heading to Australia for a client of Arrowfield Stud's, Clay said. Consigned by ELiTE, the Peter Brant homebred earned...

West Point Thoroughbreds and Woodford Racing's Integration (Quality Road), a fast-closing upset winner of the GIII Virginia Derby at second asking Sept. 9, will put his perfect record on the line in Saturday's GII Hill Prince S. at Aqueduct. The $700,000 FTSAUG yearling graduate earned a 96 Beyer Speed Figure while defeating GI Saratoga Derby Invitational winner Program Trading (GB) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) in the Colonial Downs centerpiece. "I thought he ran really good [last time]," trainer Shug McGaughey said. "I didn't know what to expect. It's not my...

It was 12 years ago this week that a young bloodstock agent found a mare for one of his first clients, deep in the November Sale at Keeneland. Mesa Fresca (Sky Mesa) had won a Belmont maiden in a light career, and Larkin Armstrong knew her family inside out. In fact, her own bloodlines ran almost parallel to his own, his father being a cousin of her dam's breeder Emory Hamilton. Raised the way he was, Armstrong could not fail to recognize this mare as King Ranch royalty, and was...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Wedneday's Observations features a son of six-time American Grade I winner Abel Tasman (Quality Road) at Dundalk 15.30 Dundalk, €15,000, Mdn, 2yo, 7f (AWT) Aidan O'Brien trainee HALLOWED (Galileo {Ire}) is a son of six-time Grade I heroine Abel Tasman (Quality Road), who was knocked down for a sale-topping...

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Sunday's Observations features a son of Quality Road returning at Leopardstown seeking an initial stakes win. 14.10 Leopardstown, Listed, €40,000, 3yo/up, 8fT CAIRO (IRE) (Quality Road) makes his return to the track after a five-month absence in this Listed Bahrain Turf Club Knockaire S., with his last start being...

Quality Road (Elusive Quality), the sire of 17 stakes winners in 2023 including GI Preakness S. hero National Treasure, will stand the 2024 breeding season for $200,000, the same fee he commanded in 2023. The 17-year-old stallion, is responsible for an additional five winners at the graded level this season, including 'TDN Rising Star' Agate Road, who makes his next appearance in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Santa Anita Nov. 3. Accordingly, it has been a strong yearling sales season for Quality Road, who was represented at the...

Gold Square's Air of Defiance (c, 2, Quality Road--Faypien, by Ghostzapper) ran to the money with a 'TDN Rising Star' performance for trainer Brad Cox at second asking at Keeneland Wednesday. Drawn wide in post 10, the 3-5 favorite was away in good order and forced the issue while three deep through an opening quarter in :22.62. Racing out in the five path, he hit front approaching the top of the stretch and took off impressively from there to score by six widening lengths over Nyquist Frequency (Nyquist). Air of...

The Fasig-Tipton October Digital Sale closed Tuesday afternoon with 100 horses sold for $1,820,000. Offerings included breeding stock, horses of racing age, yearlings, and a stallion. Racing prospect Witwatersrand (Hip 8) topped the sale when sold for $230,000 to Deputy from the consignment of Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent for DJ Stable Graduate. A 2-year-old daughter of Connect, Witwatersrand broke her maiden on debut at Woodbine on Sept. 1 for owners DJ Stable and Quintessential Racing Florida and trainer Mark Casse. The chestnut filly was offered and sold from her...

2nd-KEE, $100k, Msw, 2yo, 6f, 1:32p.m. ET GALLANT MISCHIEF (Into Mischief), a $480,000 KEENOV purchase in 2021, will put his best foot forward in this first juvenile maiden on a packed Keeneland card for conditioner Mark Casse and owner Tracy Farmer. A half-brother to MGISW Beach Patrol (Lemon Drop Kid), he comes into this contest with a string of very strong works at Ellis Park, including three successive bullets starting Aug. 17 (1/12), Aug. 30 (1/17) and Sept. 10 (1/22). Gallant Mischief is out of a half-sister to a host...

7th-CD, $120K, Msw, 2yo, 1m, 3:50 p.m. At Churchill Downs Sunday, drawn to the extreme outside is BLOWN COVER (Gun Runner) who will make his first start for an ownership group which includes Spendthrift Farm and Gandharvi Racing. A $650,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase, the dark bay colt, bred by Machmer Hall and trained by Brad Cox, is the second offspring to make the races out of a dam who is a half-sister to GII Oaklawn H. hero Cyber Secret (Broken Vow). Also debuting here is Track Phantom (Quality...