Quality Road -vs- Dunkirk: PPs for the Florida Derby!

[oliverstoned]

Ok just saw it on youtube and Todd Pletcher was pissed! at the track mgt. for making the track so fast said he wishes he went to the Wood.

[jagger]

QR reminds me a little of Brother Derek. 1 1/8 is his best distance. I like Dunkirk over QR at 1 1/4.....if he gets in.

[oliverstoned]

QR reminds me a little of Brother Derek. 1 1/8 is his best distance. I like Dunkirk over QR at 1 1/4.....if he gets in.

I don't know about that just yet I see alot in QR's pedigree (Alydar, Strawberry Road, Hero's Honor etc.) to suggest he may go further. Granted Dunkirk was making only his 3rd start and should improve but QR has only 4 starts and this was his first time around two turns. Now to look at them Dunkirk definitely looks more like a stayer and the track did favor QR........we shall see.

[zinn21]

Dunkirk now sits with a 150k in graded earnings. Does that likely boot him out of the top twenty earners??

[Hotwalker]

was surprised to see Dunkirk that far off the pace going down the backstretch. Quality Road had a perfect trip sitting right off the pace. Dunkirk had to more work to get into position and it showed in the stretch. QR is set-up perfectly for the Derby. But this seems to be a really talented year of contenders and there's still 5 weeks of preps.

[merse]

QR reminds me a little of Brother Derek. 1 1/8 is his best distance.

I agree qith oliverstoned I think Quality Road can get the 1 1/4 mile distance of the Derby - after all Elusive Quality has sired Smarty Jones and Raven's Pass who both did pretty well at a mile and a quarter in top company...

[FOS]

hi jagger

... I like Dunkirk over QR at 1 1/4.....if he gets in (the Ky Derby).

The way Dunkirk finished (and galloped out) in the Florida Derby leaves me feeling (right now anyway) that he's more a Ky Derby pretender than a Ky Derby Contender.

I see Dunkirk as a nice horse that might develop into a VERY nice horse. In the Florida Derby though, when Dunkirk looked Quality Road in the eye...QR responded powerfully, drew away when asked...finished VERY strong, galloped out in kind...and was a much deserving winner.

As for Dunkirk...his rider Garrett Gomez (who is a very strong finisher) tried incessantly, but couldn't get an ounce more out of the colt down the stretch. Dunkirk appeared (to me anyway) to be running on fumes as he approached the wire, then galloped out weakly (if you will).

QR was a lot of horse who finished VERY strong in his Fountain of Youth win, and was VERY impressive and finished even stronger in his Florida Derby (1 1/8 mile) win. Dunkirk was simply NOT up to the task, and was all but spent.

Going into the Florida Derby, Pletcher may have convinced many (including some of the media) that his non stakes-tested Dunkirk was the best of the best, but Pletcher was WRONG...as Dunkirk proved.

Bottom line...at THIS moment in time, Quality Road is (to my way of thinking anyway) absolutely, positively a superior racehorse to Dunkirk and a serious Ky Derby contender.

Things may change...but the burden's squarely on Dunkirk to change them...because Pletcher's spin, hype, baloney, distractions, red herrings etc (take your choice) won't do it.

Respectfully

[TomFool]

I very much agree with you FOS, alot of people will argue that Dunkirk galloped out past Quality Road but Dunkirk was spent after the race & Quality Road was not. Its seems that alot of people still want to think that the track was so speed favoring & can only talk about this huge move Dunkirk made when in reality he ran his race he just took on too much too soon in Quality Road and was spent chasing a better horse. I really think Quality Road is a special horse & I never get that keen on 3 year olds but even in a very good year I think he is and will prove to be the best & while most people dont think because of the crop being deep that anyone has a chance of winning the triple crown this year bit I think with a little luck Quality Road is talented enough to possiably do it.