Quality Road, next time out

[magicnight]

Interested to hear what you all are thinking about this guy, next time out. Assuming it\'s a dirt race and everything else looks positive ... will you just play him like nothing happened out west? Or, take a wait and see approach? Insist on a price that takes the chance of another gate adventure (but no scratch) into account?

[RICH]

He\'s run 3 big negatives this year, he\'s went back 3-5 pts off each one. His last race was one of those big numbers and he bore out too. In addition, he shipped to SA, had a melt down, and vanned back when he melted down while trying to board a plane. Very suspect to me, at 3-1 you can have him, at 8-1 his big tops may get my attention, tricky call. I am leaning against.

[Rick B.]

My brother is largely a visual handicapper. When he saw QR freak out at the gate at the BC, he said, \"Make sure I never, EVER bet this horse again.\" His premise is that once an experienced horse decides s/he hates the gate -- all done. Might still race, but will use all of his energy being nervous about the gate, and won\'t ever win again.
 
I\'m mostly a numbers guy. I\'d want to see some stats on horses that have been identified as bad actors at the gate -- Lit De Justice comes to mind as one who had gate woes but could win in spite of it.
 
My specific feeling on QR, though, matches my brother\'s. He and I are both about 5\'5\", so if you put us together, you have the proverbial 10 foot Pole that you shouldn\'t touch QR with.

[Leamas57]

There was something very suspect about that event--someone slipped the horse some bad mushrooms--the one that had the best chance to kill the Z-train IMO. I will bet the horse, although your brother\'s remarks are foreboding...

Bill