Quint's Brew has little trouble with Frank Y. Whiteley Stakes
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In his first two victories this year, Mid-Atlantic standout Quint’s Brew had to claw his way forward to win two desperate photo finishes over Blue Kingdom. There was no such drama in the $100,000 Frank Y. Whiteley Stakes at Laurel Park on Saturday, as the 5-year-old gelding easily outdueled his archrival and pulled away to a 5 3/4-length victory.
Since returning from a nearly eight-month layoff in December, Quint’s Brew has remained a potent local stakes contender without packing the same punch he did at his best last year. His effort in the Whiteley seemed to mark a resurgent step forward, as he proved far superior to his usual Mid-Atlantic rivals. He completed the seven-furlong sprint in 1:23.19.
“We got a rough winter and we've missed a lot of time,” trainer Ned Allard said. “But everybody did. I don't know. Some horses benefited and some horses it might have hurt a little bit, but it's obvious that he seems to be back in shape.”
In February, Blue Kingdom and Quint’s Brew were left far behind in the $200,000 General George by Point Dume, who would have been a heavy favorite in the Whiteley. Instead, trainer Tim Kreiser scratched that front-runner and ran in the Grade 2 Carter on Saturday, where he pulled off a 7-1 upset over Book’em Danno.
Without Point Dume to set the pace at Laurel, Blue Kingdom went straight to the lead, challenging Quint’s Brew early on. If the Jamie Ness-trained gelding was going to be denied yet again in his search for stakes glory, the connections clearly agreed that he might as well make it a match race.
“No excuse, we got hooked up head and head,” Ness said. “[Quint’s Brew] was just much better.”
Working from the rail, Blue Kingdom pushed Quint’s Brew through an opening quarter-mile in 24.05 seconds, and though he forced the 2-5 favorite to quicken through a half-mile in 46.86, it ultimately made no difference.
Jockey Forest Boyce, now victorious in back-to-back starts aboard Quint’s Brew, asked for more from the Maryland-bred turning for home and found that he had plenty left. He easily put away Blue Kingdom on the far turn and did not receive another challenge. He paid $2.80 to win.
“Getting a rider to not hit him [with the crop] has been very important,” Allard said. “When you do, he sulks. He changes leads, he's got to get back in gear. Forest hasn't touched him.”
Allard speculated that if he had discovered Boyce’s connection with Quint’s Brew before two graded stakes tries at Aqueduct last year, those photo-finish defeats might have gone the other way. The jockey has done a wonderful job in two winning hand rides for the trainer and should carry on as Quint’s Brew’s permanent rider.
Blue Kingdom was flagging under Yedsit Hazlewood near the wire and got nipped by a neck for second, losing out to 9-1 outsider Crab Daddy. The 4-year-old Pennsylvania-bred was coming off two allowance victories for trainer Linda Albert.
In five stakes starts since October, Blue Kingdom has never finished out of the money, but he still has not broken through for a victory. In five consecutive starts against Quint’s Brew, he has finished ahead of him only once.
“We'll regroup,” Ness said. “Probably try to stay away from that damn horse.”
Earlier this year, Allard said he would consider using the $100,000 Jennings and $200,000 General George as preps to launch Quint’s Brew back into graded stakes company at Aqueduct. Even after showing slightly diminished form in those races, the trainer still cross-entered his gelding in the Carter on Saturday before settling on another start at Laurel.
But after his performance in the Whiteley, Quint’s Brew’s horizons could broaden once more, especially since Allard took chances with him after similarly encouraging performances last year. The trainer said he may give him a six- to seven-week break before emerging with several options and an even stronger hand.
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