Stallion Feature: Quality Road Rides Road to Success

Stallion Feature; Quality Road Rides Road to Success: Sometimes, leading first crop sires usually are the stallions that come out of no where, however, Quality Road had high expectations to fulfill when he entered stud in 2011 at the Kentucky farm, Lane’s End. Quality Road was more than quality as a racehorse, and now, as the leading first crop sire of 2014, has higher expectations to fill as his first crop have now turned three, and some are even possibly on the Kentucky Derby trail.

In 2008, Quality Road debuted in late November, winning his only start at age two going six and one half furlongs on the Aqueduct main track. In his first start as a three-year-old, Quality Road finished second in an allowance race at Gulfstream before heading to graded stakes competition, never to look back. He debuted for his first try in graded stakes competition in the Grade Two Fountain of Youth Stakes, which he won easily. From there, he won the Florida Derby in his next start. He was expected to be the morning line favorite for the 2009 Kentucky Derby, but was found to have a cracked hoof. Trainer Jimmy Jerkens knew his colt was not 100%, and chose to rest the colt. He was out for five months before making another start. He returned in the Grade Two Amsterdam going six and one half furlongs at Saratoga, which he again won. He would make two more starts in 2009, finishing third in the Travers Stakes to Summer Bird and Hold Me Back and second in the Jockey Club Gold Cup to Summer Bird.

In 2010, tore up the track, winning multiple grade one races, including the Donn Handicap, the Met Mile, and the Woodward. He also finished second in the Whitney Handicap, behind eventual Breeders’ Cup Classic winner, Blame. In Quality Road’s final start of his racing career, he was sent to the Breeders’ Cup Classic at odds of 6.5-1. Granted, Zenyatta was the even money favorite this year, trying to win her second Breeders’ Cup Classic. Quality Road did not fare well and finished last, stopping in the lane.

Quality Road entered stud for the 2011 season at Lane’s End Farm for a beginning stud fee of $35,000. His pedigree helped his track record back up his stud fee. As a son of the lightning fast Elusive Quality and out of a Strawberry Road (AUS) mare, Quality Road would cross well with multiple sire lines.

With Quality Road’s first crop, success came with his two graded stakes winners, Blofeld and Hootenanny. Blofeld is a likely contender for the 2015 Kentucky Derby trail with wins in the listed Futurity Stakes and the Grade Two Nashua Stakes. Hootenanny has won stakes races in both the United States and England. He won the Windsor Castle Stakes at Ascot and the Grade One Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf at Santa Anita. As a three-year-old, connections have expressed some interest to try to colt on the dirt, as his pedigree shows that he should take to the surface easily. Quality Road continues to grab attention with his other stakes placed offspring, including Roaming, Quality Lane, and Overprepared.

Quality Road offspring have also been very well received in the sales. His average prices are all over $100,000. His weanling average is $122,278, yearling average is $104,062, and his two-year-olds are averaging $100,154. As a covering sire in 2014, his average sale was $99,929. Quality Road was more than well received since he entered stud in 2011. In 2014, Quality Road was reportedly bred to 110 mares.

If the numbers continue to come, Quality Road is likely on his way to being a champion sire in no time. Breeders seem to flock to his neck of the woods and the speed, ability to carry speed two turns, soundness, and all of his other qualities make the stallion a real steal at $35,000. Lane’s End has supported the stallion well and will continue to do so. The stallion has shown his true colors in his first crop and his potential can only grow. Quality Road is a sire on the road to stardom.