TDN RISING STARS

September 1, 2019 - Del Mar, Race 8, Msw, USD $61,000, 5 1/2F, .0000

Quality Response, F, 2, 2017 by Quality Road

1st Dam: Argue, by Storm Cat
2nd Dam: Verbal, by Kingmambo
3rd Dam: Words Of War, by Lord At War (Arg)

Owner: Karl Watson, Michael E. Pegram & Paul Weitman
Breeder: Stone Farm (KY)
Trainer: Bob Baffert

Quality Response (f, 2, Quality Road-Argue, by Storm Cat) chased a fast pace while wide and drew clear powerfully in the lane to become the latest 'TDN Rising Star' for Bob Baffert at Del Mar Sunday afternoon. Showing plenty of speed in the mornings at Los Alamitos, the $200,000 KEESEP grad scaled it back with three relatively modest works over the local main track, most recently going five furlongs in 1:01 flat (11/54) Aug. 26. A bit overlooked at 5-1 while the money poured in on 3-2 favorite and barnmate Scarlet Lips (Malibu Moon), Quality Response broke running and chased from a close third while three deep past a sharp :21.75 quarter. Cruising to the lead three-sixteenths from home, she displayed an impressive turn of foot when set down by Joe Talamo and quickly removed any doubt of the result before rambling home a 7 1/4-length winner in 1:04.95. Scarlet Lips finished strongly to be second after being sluggish early. Quality Response shares a sire, breeder and trainer with GISW 'Rising Star' Roadster. Her second dam is a half-sister to MGSW/MGISP sire E Dubai (Mr. Prospector) and No Matter What (Nureyev), the GISW dam of European champion Rainbow View (Dynaformer). Stone Farm homebred Argue, a maiden of 10 career starts, was bred to Alternation for the 2020 season.