Quality Road , the winner of the BlackBerry Presents the 58th Running of the Florida Derby (gr. I) who was one of the early favorites for the Kentucky classic before being sidelined with injuries, makes his return to competition in the Aug. 3 Amsterdam (gr. II) at Saratoga.
Edward P. Evans' homebred son of Elusive Quality won three of his first four career starts, including the Florida Derby and Fountain of Youth (gr. II), and was among the favorites for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I). His road to the Derby was derailed, however, with a pair of quarter cracks. He subsequently was transferred from the barn of Jimmy Jerkens to Todd Pletcher. Quality Road will have the services of jockey John Velazquez, who rode him to victory in the two Florida stakes, as he carries co-top weight of 123 pounds. Quality Road has earnings of $632,830.
Expected to give Quality Road a stiff challenge will be three other graded stakes winners in the Amsterdam – Capt. Candyman Can, Custom for Carlos , and Everyday Heroes.
Trained by Ian Wilkes for owner Joseph Rauch, Capt. Candyman Can has won five of eight starts and earned $410,423. He is coming into the Amsterdam off consecutive victories in the Bay Shore (gr. III) at Aqueduct, and the Matt Winn Stakes at Churchill Downs. Previously, the gelded son of Candy Ride won the Hutcheson Stakes (gr. II) at Gulfstream Park and as a 2-year-old won Churchill’s Iroquois (gr. II).
A son of Awesome Again owned by Darley and trained by Kiaran McLaughlin, Everyday Heroes was undefeated in his first four career starts, including the grade III Hirsch Jacobs at Pimlico, before finishing second to Munnings in the Woody Stephens Stakes (gr. II) on Belmont Stakes day in New York.
Trained by Eddie Kenneally for Ronald Rashinski, Custom for Carlos has posted consecutive victories in an allowance at Churchill Downs and the Jersey Shore (gr. III) at Monmouth Park.
Rounding out the field are Cabaret Cowboy and Captain Cherokee, both of whom have maiden and allowance victories to their credit.
Amsterdam Stakes (gr. II), $150,000, 3-year-olds, 6 ½ furlongs
PP—Horse, jockey, weight
1—Everyday Heroes, 123, A. Garcia
2—Custom for Carlos, 123, J. Leparoux
3—Cabaret Cowboy, 115, R. Maragh
4—Quality Road, 123, J. Velazquez
5—Captain Cherokee, 115, R. Albarado
6—Capt. Candyman Can, 123, J. Castellano