Speed Over Quality

I was away and/or otherwise indisposed for the holiday weekend, so no track for me. Just caught a couple of races on TV late on Monday, including Quality Road winning the Met Mile. The Toddster's four-year old son of Elusive Quality earned a Beyer figure of 114.

If it looked like this horse was ripe for the catching in the stretch, it's because he was decelerating after an opening half mile in 45.19. Another 23.38 took him to six furlongs in 1:08.57, after which he was able to repel Musket Man despite tiring to 24.54 for his final quarter. Those are pretty good splits still as far as these races go, and the final time of 1:33.11 is excellent; one of the fastest times in the race's illustrious history. But he ran his first half in 45.19 and his second half in a shade under 48. I think there's something distinctly American about the appeal for horses courageously holding on at the end after burying its opposition with high early speed while conceding them weight, as Quality Road did. But it just seems counter-intuitive to me that the last part of a race is the slowest part; aesthetically unappealing too.

This is one of the ways that I personally feel that synthetic surfaces are to the distinct benefit of the everyday sport. I just don't get the fascination with raw speed when horses can't sustain it much past a half mile. Of course, I don't mean to detract from Quality Road; that's the game on dirt in America, and full credit to a horse who has won G2 and up stakes from 6 1/2 to nine furlongs. But I've seen his effort referred to as "other-worldly," and "masterful, breathtaking." To each their own, but I just don't get all that excited about a race that's run like that.

I also saw the 8th race, and man, you have my sincere condolences if you had Who Is Lady, at 6-1. Doesn't get much tougher than that as far as losing the head bob goes. Five-year old daughter of Freud was a winner a half stride before or after the wire; but Wild Awake had her nose down at the right time. Who Is Lady doesn't get to the winner's circle often, and this was her 4th second in her last five outings.

Nonetheless, another sharp runner for trainer Mike Miceli, four winners and two seconds from eight starters at the meet; 30% from 37 starters on the year. Two of those wins are accounted for by Minnie Punt, including his rousing win in the state-bred Kingston Stakes on Sunday. Dead last at the top of the stretch after encountering traffic, this effeminately-named gelded son of Gold Fever, out of a Rubiano half-sister to the crack sprinter Cherokee County, straightened out and ran by 'em all, doing his best running at the end, the way racing should be. Honestly, I get more of a thrill watching that race than the Met Mile, the fact that they are NY-breds notwithstanding.