Spectacular Bid: Exclusive Quality holds on

Even without the smoothest of trips, Exclusive Quality was able to withstand a prolonged bid from Diabolical and defeat four other 3-year-olds in the $75,000 for the team of Pletcher and Velazquez.

After breaking slowly in the 6 1/2-furlong race, Exclusive Quality rushed into contention down the backstretch when sandwiched between In Summation and longshot Carvajal. Leaving the turn, after In Summation faded and Carvajal began to get weary, Diabolical loomed a major threat to the outside of Exclusive Quality but fell a half-length short.

Exclusive Quality, a Florida-bred by Elusive Quality, was purchased as a yearling for $850,000 by Aaron and Marie Jones. Now a winner in 3 of 4 career starts, he returned $3.60 after prevailing by a half-length in 1:15.88.

"He looks like he'll be a good middle-distance horse, so we might try to stretch him out to seven furlongs, maybe a mile," said Pletcher, mentioning the April 29 Withers, a one-mile race at Aqueduct, as a possible next start.