Quality Road was scratched at the gate of the 2009 Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) when misbehaving while attempting to load.  The gate crew blindfolded the colt, who was sidelined from the Kentucky Derby trail earlier that year with hoof issues, and that exacerbated the situation.  The son of Elusive Quality is now two-for-two since the incident with wins coming over his beloved Gulfstream Park surface.  Saturday, he was well-respected from the bettors, installed as the 2-5 prohibitive choice. 

Quality Road has yet to have a start over a synthetic surface, but trainer Todd Pletcher was intent on trying that approach at Santa Anita before the gate scratch.  With a $10,000,000 prize looming, and a sensitive horse clearly showing the best form of his career, is it enough to lure him to the desert?  We think so…do the connections?