2009 Fountain of Youth Stakes

[stivo1975]

Rock solid performances from QR & JoJo. Fla Derby is gonna be fun to watch.

[BE109]

That track has been extremely speed biased all this meet. But QR did run 8F in 1:35. He is out of a Strawberry Road mare,so stamina shouldn't be an issue. I would like to see him be placed just a little farther back. So he won't be so susceptable to a speed duel. If this dude can lay 3rd or 4th and wait ,he will be a tough proposition.

[ruffchamp1]

Elusive Quality has already sired Smarty Jones and Ravens Pass going 1 1/4miles, and Quality Road is out of a Strawberry Road Mare with alot of Distance, but who knows with his style of running..Unbridleds Song is about as hot a sire u can get now w/many TCrown contenders..Dunkirk looks awesome, Old Fashioned does as well..Boy,is it wide open right now for 3yos-even Desert Party and The Pamplemousse were very impressive.

[DrFagersGhost]

Good points - Quality Road had an exceptional first race and then they pushed him a little too hard in his return. He sure made up for it with this performance. Solid bloodlines and he looks like he can run longer. Florida Derby or Wood Memorial would be next for this colt. I would say they send him north for the Wood at Aqueduct.

[BE109]

Quality Road is no doubt a strong contender for the Derby. But I would be worried if he runs those kind of splits going 10 F.! It would very hard to finish strong running like that!

[Lauratherider]

so is he gonna be considered for the KY derby?

[gregcz2000]

Yes. Last years Fountain of Youth produced 6 Derby runners- although they finished 7th, 13th,14th,15th, 19th, and 20th, out of 20 respectively. Any of these horses who want to go to the Derby will run another prep race (April 4th is a big day with the Wood Memorial Stakes, the Santa Anita Derby, the Illinois Derby, the Ashland Stakes, and several other lower profile 3yo stakes races.) Top 20 money winners get into the Derby- so only the winner (Quality Road) has essentially locked up a spot.

[Lauratherider]

cool! Thanks! I don't know much about racing, but I am trying to learn a lot. I know it proabl wont happen, but I really want to be a jockey!

[gregcz2000]

He is a top Kentucky Derby contender- but consider that he isn't nominated for the Triple Crown Series, because his trainer "forgot". They'll have to pay an extra $6,000 fee at this point (which they surely will.) If Quality Road's own trainer didn't remember to nominate him its a sign of how suprising he is as a contender. That may be an asset though, as he is constantly improving. He beat the two horses with the highest Beyer figures of this year -Notonthesamepage and This ones for Phil.

[ilovehorses096]

i really wanted notonthesamepage to win.

[gregcz2000]

So did I.