This season’s class of 3-year-olds is starting to look as if it could be outstanding. It’s too early, of course, to reach any conclusions – those will probably have to wait until the fall – but unless Old Fashioned, Dunkirk and Quality Road don’t improve a step, something that’s very unlikely, this group should prove to be very deep in talent.
And beyond the top trio, of course, there are horses such as Pioneerof The Nile, whose ability on dirt will remain an unknown until Derby Day, and Imperial Council, whose best efforts could come around two turns, and Giant Oak, whose talents are just begging for a good trip.
Anyway, Quality Road was nothing less than sensational in winning today’s Fountain of Youth at Gulfstream Park. Making only the third start of his career, the big – very big – colt stalked This Ones For Phil, who got away with fractions that were probably softer than expected – 23.84 (?) for the quarter-mile and 45.55 for the half. After six furlongs in 1:09.40, Quality Road moved to the leader and then, in the stretch, took control, drawing clear to win by more than four lengths, completing the mile in 1:35.01.
To put that final time in some sort of context, early in the day at Gulfstream, a group of older maidens, a few of them having flashed some ability, completed the same distance in 1:38.36. And just a couple races prior to the Fountain of Youth, Pictural won a seven-furlong allowance race in 1:23.19. And so Quality Road’s final clocking was indeed outstanding by any measure.
Afterwards, his trainer, Jimmy Jerkens, as if trying to contain his enthusiasm and restrain anybody’s potential runaway exuberance, pointed out that a one-turn mile is very different from any two-turn race. That’s why, of course, this modern mutation of the Fountain of Youth lacks the Triple Crown significance of earlier editions, specifically for those 51 races that were run around two turns at 1 1/16 miles. Still, this one-turn, one-mile version was vastly superior in every way to the most recent incarnations at 1 1/8 miles.
And Quality Road gave a performance that ranks, in my estimation, among the best by any 3-year-old this year. Moreover, there was nothing about his victory that suggested a mile will be the border of his ability. After some bumping early, he rated behind the pacesetter and responded powerfully when asked.
Theregoesjojo rallied to be second. In doing so, he insisted he deserves to be included among the potential Triple Crown noisemakers. And Beethoven, who looked a little uncomfortable in the post parade and trailed for three-quarters of a mile, made some headway in the lane and finished third.
Quality Road was not among the original 401 horses nominated to the Triple Crown. (That’s why I dropped him out of the top 20 after having him No. 6 in the original list of top 100 potential Triple Crown noisemakers. He was, quite simply, one of the best youngsters I saw in all of 2008.) But that oversight, Jerkens said, will soon be corrected.
As for Quality Road’s next start, Jerkens said he had no definite plans. But he did mention the Florida Derby on March 28 at Gulfstream and the Wood Memorial on April 4 at Aqueduct.
Also today, The Pamplemousse led from the start to win the Sham Stakes at Santa Anita, drawing clear to finish six lengths ahead of Take The Points, with Mr. Hot Stuff third. Unbeaten now in three races around two turns, The Pamplemousse set a solid pace (46.51 for the half) and just kept rolling, completing the 1 1/8 miles in 1:47.86. It may be worth noting that Mr. Hot Stuff, Colonel John’s little brother, actually galloped out beyond the winner.
And so here’s the latest top-20 shuffle of potential Triple Crown noisemakers.
1. Old Fashioned
2. Dunkirk
3. Quality Road
4. Hello Broadway
5. Friesan Fire
6. Pioneerof The Nile
7. Imperial Council
8. Giant Oak
9. Patena
10. Flying Pegasus
11. The Pamplemousse
12. Theregoesjojo
13. Mr. Fantasy
14. Beethoven
15. West Side Bernie
16. Haynesfield
17. Midshipman
18. Desert Party
19. Mr. Hot Stuff
20. General Quarters


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