Edward P. Evans’ Quality Road   breezed five furlongs at Belmont Park the morning of Sept. 20 as he continued to work towards his next start, the grade I, $750,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup Invitational Oct. 3.

The 3-year-old son of Elusive Quality   covered the distance in 1:01.14, the 12th fastest of 26 at the distance.

The Jockey Club Gold Cup will be Quality Road’s second start at 1 1/4 miles, having finished third as the favorite in the Shadwell Travers Stakes (gr. I) to Belmont Stakes winner Summer Bird  , who is also being pointed for the Gold Cup.

“You would think with having a mile and a quarter race under his belt that it would be beneficial to the next one,” said trainer Todd Pletcher. “He was ready for the Travers. Given different circumstances and a different surface, we might have done better, but it wasn’t meant to be.”

The Travers, which was run over a sloppy course, was Quality Road’s second start following a five-month layoff. The probable Kentucky Derby presented by Yum! Brands (gr, I) favorite dropped off the Triple Crown trail with a pair of quarter crack injuries in April. His first start was in the 6 1/2-furlong Amsterdam Stakes (gr. II), which he won in an eye-popping record time of 1:13.45.

After the Travers, Pletcher said Quality Road had a challenging trip, having been stuck behind horses, but ran well despite the obstacles.