By Jill Williams
If you're feeling a little deja vu about the result of Friday's GII Hollywood Turf Cup Stakes at Del Mar, there's a good reason. Hot on the heels of Mrs. Astor (Lookin At Lucky)'s win Sunday in the GIII Red Carpet Stakes over a route on Del Mar's turf course, trainer Jonathan Thomas gave another leg up to rider Vincent Cheminaud on another homebred for George Strawbridge, Jr.'s Augustin Stables, again over a route of ground on the grass. This time it was Truly Quality (g, 4, Quality Road–Truly Together, by Smart Strike) who brought the connections to the winner's circle and made it the second Del Mar graded winner of the week for the team.
On paper, Truly Quality was a recent-form standout in the 1 1/2-mile Hollywood Turf Cup. Sure, as a Grade I winner with eight triple-digit Beyer Speed Figures, Rockemperor (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}) had a ton a back class, but his last win–in the GII Bowling Green Stakes at Saratoga–was more than two years ago. It had similarly been a long time between drinks for several others, including 2022 GII San Gabriel Stakes winner Dicey Mo Chara (GB) (Adaay {Ire}) and even May's GIII Dinner Party Stakes winner Balnikhov (Ire) (Adaay {Ire}). But while two–Fearless Solder (City of Light) and Goldeneye (Hard Spun), each at 30-1–were both coming off allowance wins, only one horse in the entire field was exiting a stakes victory and riding a win streak. That was East Coast invader Truly Quality.
Showing a marked lack of speed, Truly Quality took the scenic route for the first mile, very content to amble along with only one horse beaten while running off the rail. As the pair of 30-1 shots set the :24.73 and :49.27 pace, Truly Quality took his time while several lengths off the lead. After the leaders passed the mile marker in 1:38.71, Cheminaud noticeably lowered his body in the saddle and began pumping in earnest. Truly Quality circled the field at the same time Balnikhov, the only horse behind him that first mile, found several more gears. Balnikhov looked every bit the winner and had the jump, but Truly Quality went with him and would not be denied, heading him late and bettering the three-time graded winner by a half-length at the wire.
“For whatever reason [Truly Quality is] falling off of the pace, but he comes running and I thought his stamina really came into play today,” said winning conditioner Thomas. “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.”
After kicking off his 2024 campaign with a pair of one-mile optional allowances over the winter at Santa Anita, Truly Quality tried 12 furlongs for the first time at Keeneland in April and came away with a strong third. An open daylight win at 1 3/8 miles at the Belmont at Aqueduct meet followed and eventually Truly Quality tried–and conquered–stakes company, capturing the Colonial Cup Stakes in course record time at Colonial Downs in September and the GIII Singspiel Stakes at Woodbine in October. The 4-year-old entered the Hollywood Turf Cup riding a two-race black-type streak.
Pedigree Notes:
Lane's End stalwart Quality Road is the sire of Truly Quality and another 41 graded winners, as well as 84 black-type winners. Himself the victor of four Grade I races, all on dirt, and the sire of three Eclipse champions on the main track, Quality Road has gotten his share of turf stars as well, including first-crop GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf winner Hootenanny, one of four Breeders' Cup winners to date for the Edward Evans-bred bay. Truly Quality's Hollywood Turf Cup win is Quality Road's first in the race as a sire; his Friar's Road was third in 2021 and his Avenue was third in 2022.
The late Smart Strike, who also stood at Lane's End, is among the continent's premier broodmare sires with the 197 stakes winners out of his daughters including a number of champions. When paired with Quality Road, the duo has been responsible for two graded winners in addition to Truly Quality: Heroic Move and Cowboy Culture.
Truly Quality is the second graded winner out of GSW Truly Together, whose Mouffy (Uncle Mo) won Woodbine's GIII Dance Smartly Stakes on Oct. 5, the same day Truly Quality won the Singspiel Stakes. Truly Together, a daughter of 2008 champion grass mare and GI Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf winner Forever Together, has a yearling full-sister to Truly Quality and a weanling colt by Constitution. She was bred to Justify for next term.
Ran him down! 🎙️
Truly Quality rallied late under @VCheminaud to reclaim the lead in the GIII Hollywood Turf Cup. pic.twitter.com/DBB46xWLFQ
— Del Mar Racetrack (@DelMarRacing) November 29, 2024
Friday, Del Mar
HOLLYWOOD TURF CUP S.-GII, $202,000, Del Mar, 11-29, 3yo/up, 1 1/2mT, 2:28.54, fm.
1–TRULY QUALITY, 122, g, 4, by Quality Road
1st Dam: Truly Together (GSP, $119,760),
by Smart Strike
2nd Dam: Forever Together, by Belong to Me
3rd Dam: Constant Companion, by Relaunch
O-Augustin Stables; B-George Strawbridge (KY); T-Jonathan
Thomas; J-Vincent Cheminaud. $120,000. Lifetime Record:
13-5-4-3, $498,995. *1/2 to Mouffy (Uncle Mo), GSW-Can,
MSW & MGSP-USA, $500,193.Werk Nick Rating: A+.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2--Balnikhov (Ire), 122, g, 5, Adaay (Ire)–Leeward, by First
Defence. (€27,000 Ylg '20 ARDEAY). O-Little Red Feather
Racing, Madaket Stables LLC and Old Bones Racing Stable, LLC;
B-T. de La Heronnierre&Gestut Zur Kuste AG (IRE); T-Philip
D'Amato. $40,000.
3–Nineeleventurbo, 122, g, 7, More Than Ready–Rosalie Road,
by Street Cry (Ire). ($300,000 Wlg '17 KEENOV). O-Stepaside
Farm LLC; B-C. W. Swann & Wetherbee Holdings, Ltd. (KY);
T-Neil D. Drysdale. $24,000.
Margins: HF, 1HF, 1 3/4. Odds: 1.60, 6.40, 12.10.
Also Ran: Rockemperor (Ire), Divin Propos (Fr), None Above the Law, Goldeneye, Dicey Mo Chara (GB), Fearless Soldier. Scratched: Cabo Spirit, Rimprotector.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
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