Breeders’ Cup Classic (gr. I) hopeful Quality Road worked four furlongs in :49.56 Sept. 25 over the Belmont Park training track. The breeze was the 4-year-old’s first since winning the Woodward Stakes (gr. I) at Saratoga Sept. 4.
Under exercise rider Patti Barry, the son of Elusive Quality —Kobla, by Strawberry Road, went the first quarter in :24.86 and the second quarter in :24.61, according to the Daily Racing Form. Quality Road galloped out five furlongs in 1:02.95. The colt, raced by owner/breeder Edward Evans, has won four graded stakes this year. Besides the Woodward, he won the Donn Handicap (gr. I) and Metropolitan Handicap (gr. I) and finished a close second to Blame in the Whitney Handicap (gr. I).
“It was what I expected from him, basically a maintenance half-mile,” trainer Todd Pletcher told the Racing Form. “We have five more breezes to go, so I think we’re right on schedule. We successfully trained him with time between races before, so we have an idea of what he needs.”
Pletcher is training several horses up to the Breeders’ Cup World Thoroughbred Championships Nov. 5-6 at Churchill Downs. Others that worked Sept. 25 include Discreetly Mine, a candidate for the Sprint (gr. I) that worked four furlongs in :50.12, and Malibu Prayer, winner of the grade I Ruffian Invitational Handicap that worked four furlongs in :48.83.