Quality Road passed his first route test with flying colors in Saturday’s Florida Derby .
The Elusive Quality colt was always traveling well tracking the pace under Johnny V , and when Dunkirk made a bold move turning for home, Quality Road found another gear and pulled clear for a 1-3/4 length tally.
The James Jerkens trainee joins I Want Revenge and Friesan Fire as versatile graded Derby prep route winners, and this crop is much faster and deeper than the ‘08 crew.
Early/pressing speed is frequently dangerous at the Gulf, especially at nine furlongs, and the track …read more

A field of 9 has been drawn for the nine furlong $750k Florida Derby (G1), and the highly regarded Dunkirk is the probable fav.
The Todd Pletcher runner has been visually impressive in a pair of wins to kick off his career at the Gulf, and it’s make or break time as he desperately needs graded earnings. Anything less than an exacta finish and his Derby dreams are virtually over.
Pletcher is worried about the lack of pace on Saturday, and he has entered maiden Europe to spice up the early fractions. The rabbit broke slow in …read more

Dunkirk (Unbridled’s Song) is high on many Kentucky Derby lists, but he has no graded earnings to date, so Saturday’s Florida Derby is a critical prep for the Todd Pletcher trainee.
In order to make it to the Derby starting gate, a top two finish on Saturday is mandatory.

Fountain of Youth hero Quality Road is the one to catch, and to that end, Pletcher may enter a rabbit (Europe) to ensure an honest pace for his undefeated $3.7 million purchase.
Entries for the Florida Derby will be taken on March 25th. Stay tuned!
Photo Credit: newscom.com

Fountain of Youth hero Quality Road worked a solid seven panels (1:25) on March 21st in advance of the Grade 1 Florida Derby (March 28th).
The James Jerkens trainee will try two turns in the nine furlong Derby prep, and his early/pressing speed should serve him well on Saturday.

Possible Florida Derby fav Dunkirk also worked on the 21st, and his company drill with stablemate Affirmatif netted him a 1:00.15 five furlong bullet. The promising Pletcher runner needs graded earnings in his final Derby prep, and the $750k purse is a nice chunk of dough.
On …read more

Fountain of Youth
Early/pressing type Quality Road (Elusive Quality) was easily best over clear runner-up Theregoesjojo (Brahms) in the one-turn mile (113 BSF). The aforementioned duo are expected to go next in the Florida Derby, which will be their initial foray around two turns. Without route foundation, they could be in deep water on the 1st Saturday in May, but they are serious players over the Gulfstream speedway, especially the winner. Don’t be shocked in either or both ship out of town (Wood Memorial?) for the next engagements.
Graded route hero Beethoven (Sky Mesa) ran on well to land the …read more