Quarter Cracks for Quality Road?

[Silver Charm]

Anybody curious like I am if this horse, who has had a history of QC\'s in his career was maybe laboring a little on Saturday in the Whitney?

Look the race was for $750K, a Grade One and this horse is not going to be around for another year of racing after this one. At least I doubt it. So therefore you run him, he ran a 111 Beyer and got beat a nose. No disgrace.

However if you notice the rider, after having seen the replay a couple of times, give him the que when he straightened for home and really got NO acceleration. absolutely zero separation from the field. Even at the wire Musket Man seemed to be gaining.  

The stride in the last 100 yards didnt seem to be there and the rider was very concerned the last 3/16ths. I know people are going to pile on about a horse for course, distance limited type but im not sure I saw a horse at his best on Saturday. This looked a lot like a Slew O\'Gold in the first BC Classic who ranged up and hung the entire way down the lane and had QC issues of his own....

[miff]

\"So therefore you run him, he ran a 111 Beyer and got beat a nose\".


The dirt surface was pretty glib all day and with only one race at two turns it seems the Hopkins/Beyer duo had a few too many to come with a 111. Regardless of the figs, a very common performance for QR.


Mike