No decision yet on Essential Quality's next race

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Champion Essential Quality emerged from his win in the Grade 3, $750,000 Southwest at Oaklawn Park in good order, trainer Brad Cox said Sunday, while plans for the horse’s final Kentucky Derby prep race are still being determined.

Essential Quality made his 3-year-old debut in the Southwest. He stalked the pace, moved to the fore into the stretch and barreled home to remain undefeated in four career starts. The start was his first since the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile on Nov. 6, and for the effort he earned a preliminary, career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 96.

“He’s really good, doing great,” Cox said Sunday. “No decision on his next race.”

Essential Quality was to return to his Fair Grounds base later in the week, Cox said.

“We’ll give him a few days to chill out,” he said.

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Essential Quality is a Godolphin homebred by Tapit. Races being considered include the Blue Grass at Keeneland, the Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park, and the Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn.

Cox said one of Essential Quality’s best qualities is his stamina. It was apparent as he finished strongly in the slop in the Southwest - after a wide trip in what was his first start in nearly four months. It was run over 1 1/16 miles, the same distance of his wins in the Breeders’ Cup and the Grade 1 Breeders’ Futurity last year at Keeneland.

“He stays on,” Cox said. “He’s got a tremendous amount of stamina, never seems to get tired. Training, he does all his works well in hand. It just comes so easy for him.”

Essential Quality started his career with a maiden special weight win over six furlongs in September at Churchill Downs.

“He’s just an exceptional talent that was able to win going three-quarters his first time out – probably not what he wants to do. Or even what he’s bred for, bred to do.”

Spielberg, winner of the Grade 2 Los Alamitos Futurity, invaded from Southern California for the Southwest and finished second, 4 1/4 lengths behind Essential Quality.

Spielberg spotted the field several lengths when he broke last of all Saturday.

"After that horrendous start, I was really happy with how he ran,” Baffert said Sunday. “He might have been closer, but he wasn't going to beat the winner. The winner's a good horse. [Spielberg is] a stayer, kind of a one-paced horse. I think he liked the firmer track there."

Baffert said no decision has been made on the next start for Spielberg. He said the horse would return home to Santa Anita and be nominated to a number of different races.

- additional reporting by Jay Privman