“Quality Road odds-on in Belmont’s 500K Met Mile”
by "Reload" Joe Freda
Memorial Day’s horse racing action is headlined by the $500,000 Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont Park, where 4/5 morning-line favorite Quality Road (No. 7) leads an eight-horse field. The odds-on choice has not raced for nearly four months, but trainer Todd Pletcher and jockey John Velazquez have combined for victory in 3-of-5 starts with this contender.
Quality Road won by nearly 13 lengths last time out in his Feb. 6 Donn Handicap romp at Gulfstream Park. The four-year old stayed pocketed in second position throughout the 1 1/8-mile affair and closed strong in the stretch with career-high speed as 2/5 ‘chalk.’
Velazquez (8-of-56) has ridden Quality Road to victories in 2-of-2 starts at distances of one mile. The most recent of these trips occurred in a Jan. 3 gate-to-wire win at Gulfstream.
Pletcher (6-of-18) had his stallion race at the Elmont oval only once before, resulting in a second-place finish. Quality Road lost by a length that day to Summer Bird under sloppy conditions in October’s 1 ¼-mile Jockey Club Gold Cup.
Despite the lengthy layoff, workouts for Quality Road have looked sharp. Tuesday’s five-furlong trot on Belmont’s dirt in :59 3/5 was the most recent of seven jogs occurring over the last two months.
Monday’s event will have seven others looking for an upset, including 9/2 shot Warrior’s Reward (No. 4) and 5/1 runner Musket Man (No. 3).
Warrior’s Reward is 2-of-3 in his last three races, which were all at seven-furlong distances. Among the victories for Ian Wilkes’ challenger was a sharp closing effort over Musket Man across town in April’s Carter Handicap at Aqueduct.
Musket Man went on from his runner-up spot against Warrior’s Reward to finish third in the seven-furlong Churchill Downs Stakes earlier this month. Jockey Ramon Dominguez (20-of-109) stayed toward the back of the pack in a tough trip under sloppy conditions, and made a late surge for the show spot.
No. 5 Kensei (20/1) and No. 8 Le Grand Cru (15/1) could be overlays with their trainers Steven Asmussen (5-of-15) and Allen Jerkins (4-of-9), respectively, having solid seasons at Belmont.
Kensei is 1-for-4 at Belmont, with a third-place finish in October’s one-mile Jerome Handicap being the most recent start. Jockey Edgar Prado (10-for-85) was on board then and returns to Asmussen’s colt for the Met after missing the last two mounts.
Le Grand Cru is 3-for-4 in his trips to Long Island, with the most recent win at 27/1 in last month’s one-mile Westchester Stakes. Jerkins’ contender hit career-high speed in the triumph and keeps jockey Cornelio Velasquez (17-for-100).
No. 1 Convocation (10/1), No. 2 Tizway (20/1), and No. 6 You And I Forever (10/1) round out the field.
Convocation’s last win came two starts ago in a March 18 one-mile gallop at Gulfstream. Jockey Kent Desormeaux (5-of-24) took the lead in the stretch and drew away by five lengths. James Jerkins’ colt has finished in the money with all four of his Belmont starts, including a three-wide place finish at career-high speed last month.
Tizway is off a solid 2 ¾-length win at Aqueduct, occurring one month ago. Jockey Rajiv Maragh (13-of-110) has hit the board in all three Belmont mounts aboard the five-year old, who won by 7 ½ lengths in his last one-mile Belmont start.
You And I Forever is 2-for-5 in one-mile duels, hitting career-high speed in the most recent win after going five-wide at Gulfstream. Javier Castellano (20-of-92) returned to ride the colt for the March 13 conquest after not being aboard him for two years.
This clash is Race 10 on Monday’s Belmont card, which will be televised on TVG and HRTV. Post time is scheduled for 5:49 p.m. (ET), with weather calling for sunny skies and 82 degrees.
by "Reload" Joe Freda
Memorial Day’s horse racing action is headlined by the $500,000 Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont Park, where 4/5 morning-line favorite Quality Road (No. 7) leads an eight-horse field. The odds-on choice has not raced for nearly four months, but trainer Todd Pletcher and jockey John Velazquez have combined for victory in 3-of-5 starts with this contender.
Quality Road won by nearly 13 lengths last time out in his Feb. 6 Donn Handicap romp at Gulfstream Park. The four-year old stayed pocketed in second position throughout the 1 1/8-mile affair and closed strong in the stretch with career-high speed as 2/5 ‘chalk.’
Velazquez (8-of-56) has ridden Quality Road to victories in 2-of-2 starts at distances of one mile. The most recent of these trips occurred in a Jan. 3 gate-to-wire win at Gulfstream.
Pletcher (6-of-18) had his stallion race at the Elmont oval only once before, resulting in a second-place finish. Quality Road lost by a length that day to Summer Bird under sloppy conditions in October’s 1 ¼-mile Jockey Club Gold Cup.
Despite the lengthy layoff, workouts for Quality Road have looked sharp. Tuesday’s five-furlong trot on Belmont’s dirt in :59 3/5 was the most recent of seven jogs occurring over the last two months.
Monday’s event will have seven others looking for an upset, including 9/2 shot Warrior’s Reward (No. 4) and 5/1 runner Musket Man (No. 3).
Warrior’s Reward is 2-of-3 in his last three races, which were all at seven-furlong distances. Among the victories for Ian Wilkes’ challenger was a sharp closing effort over Musket Man across town in April’s Carter Handicap at Aqueduct.
Musket Man went on from his runner-up spot against Warrior’s Reward to finish third in the seven-furlong Churchill Downs Stakes earlier this month. Jockey Ramon Dominguez (20-of-109) stayed toward the back of the pack in a tough trip under sloppy conditions, and made a late surge for the show spot.
No. 5 Kensei (20/1) and No. 8 Le Grand Cru (15/1) could be overlays with their trainers Steven Asmussen (5-of-15) and Allen Jerkins (4-of-9), respectively, having solid seasons at Belmont.
Kensei is 1-for-4 at Belmont, with a third-place finish in October’s one-mile Jerome Handicap being the most recent start. Jockey Edgar Prado (10-for-85) was on board then and returns to Asmussen’s colt for the Met after missing the last two mounts.
Le Grand Cru is 3-for-4 in his trips to Long Island, with the most recent win at 27/1 in last month’s one-mile Westchester Stakes. Jerkins’ contender hit career-high speed in the triumph and keeps jockey Cornelio Velasquez (17-for-100).
No. 1 Convocation (10/1), No. 2 Tizway (20/1), and No. 6 You And I Forever (10/1) round out the field.
Convocation’s last win came two starts ago in a March 18 one-mile gallop at Gulfstream. Jockey Kent Desormeaux (5-of-24) took the lead in the stretch and drew away by five lengths. James Jerkins’ colt has finished in the money with all four of his Belmont starts, including a three-wide place finish at career-high speed last month.
Tizway is off a solid 2 ¾-length win at Aqueduct, occurring one month ago. Jockey Rajiv Maragh (13-of-110) has hit the board in all three Belmont mounts aboard the five-year old, who won by 7 ½ lengths in his last one-mile Belmont start.
You And I Forever is 2-for-5 in one-mile duels, hitting career-high speed in the most recent win after going five-wide at Gulfstream. Javier Castellano (20-of-92) returned to ride the colt for the March 13 conquest after not being aboard him for two years.
This clash is Race 10 on Monday’s Belmont card, which will be televised on TVG and HRTV. Post time is scheduled for 5:49 p.m. (ET), with weather calling for sunny skies and 82 degrees.
the hell with Atlantic city that place sucks....the beach was nice!