Could there be any more buzz around Quality Road? I think they already painted the canoe. But, for me I'm not that excited about him. I won't take anything away from him: He's impressive with track records and blazing fast speed, but, for me, to be "great" you have to do it more often.
I never really was a Ghostzapper fan, and Quality Road reminds me of him from the win streak, to the +110 Beyers, to the anointing him the best 3yo in the country, to me not being that impressed. Some are saying Rachel Alexandra is ducking him by going to the Wood. That's like saying Steven Strasburg dodged Matt Alexander (who hit .383 in the Mountain West last year) by going pro. The buzz literally hurts my head. Ghostzapper ran all of 4 races (3 120+ Beyers) in 2004, and of all the gaudy numbers Ghostzapper put up no one questioned that one. I think number of starts is just as important as best Beyer if not more important.
This will be Quality Road's 5th Graded Stakes start of the year, so he's already ahead of Ghostzapper, but I'm just terrified that ol' Todd will take a win in the Travers (which I'm betting against) and train him up to the BC, and the buzz will just continue to build while he doesn't race. |
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Can't argue with any of your points, but I'm compelled to pull for him as he is a VA-bred. However, the strategy you outline would only make him yet another "poster child" for modern racing: "Don't get beat, Hype, hype, hype stud value."
Repeat as necessary.
Good news is Evans is old school and not terribly concerned with stud values and (maybe) not even year-end awards. I don't believe he is shy about telling trainers what he would like to do, so keep your fingers crossed.
Patrick,
Sometimes I wonder what the hell you are thinking. Quality Road is a very fast horse. He is also bred for two turns. He has had issues with quarter cracks. Like many horses in the modern era, he has his ailments. Why on earth would Pletcher have raced him at the spring Belmont meet following the Belmont? A reasonable prep was either the one turn race he won or the two-turn Jim Dandy, which is the traditional two-turn prep. He will win the Travers, then be pointed for the Jockey Club Gold Cup, and with the dam's pedigree, it's all but certain he will race in the Breeders' Cup. In fact, his stud value would be enhanced tremendously if they were to place him on the Turf. That is something which is certainly possible. It's not like he was put away to stud like Smarty Jones because of the foot issues after showing outstanding performances at such a limited number.
Gale Sayers proved to be brittle, too, but he was about as great as it gets as both a running back and kick returner. He had moves and speed.
I'd equate football's Sayers to both Quality Road and Ghostzapper. As for the latter, he is the fastest horse I have seen in person in the past decade of well over a thousand races I have witnessed in person in NY. Ghostzapper ran so fast that Frankel was most worried about him having his body not keep up with his legs. He even once said that he ran TOO fast.
Look it, does Tiger Woods play every PGA event? He plays about 15 a year. Greatness is defined in destroying your competition, not in longevity.
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