Spring Quality ships to Saratoga for Sword Dancer

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. – Spring Quality had to be scratched from the Arlington Million after shipping poorly to Arlington from Maryland but has improved considerably since Saturday, trained Sunday morning here, and was well enough to get on an equine charter and fly to New York early Sunday afternoon. If Spring Quality continues getting back to his normal self, he’ll start in the Grade 1, $1 million Sword Dancer on Aug. 25 at Saratoga.

“He had a good night last night,” trainer Graham Motion said Sunday morning.

Spring Quality, a 6-year-old gelding who won the Grade 1 Manhattan in his most recent start, came to Arlington in top form but struggled physically after arriving here. Motion said Spring Quality was dehydrated and “not passing manure like he should,” and Motion’s team feared his condition could progress to colic. Even Saturday afternoon, Motion wondered if Spring Quality would be well enough to fly Sunday, but the gelding “turned a corner” overnight and into Sunday morning.

“He trained this morning, and he’s getting on the plane,” said Motion.

Motion got a not-inconsequential consolation prize when Secret Message won the Grade 3, $100,000 Pucker Up in relatively impressive fashion to close the Million card. A private purchase this year, Secret Message had been compromised in both of her starts for Motion, first by a boggy course at Pimlico, then by a poor start in the Regret Stakes at Churchill.

The start of the Regret was in keeping with Secret Message’s generally unsettled behavior that night, and Motion was pleased to see the filly act professionally on Saturday before delivering a career-best performance. Making a long run from the back of the field under Irad Ortiz Jr., she won by 1 1/4 lengths over the improving Pamina, ran 1 1/8 miles in 1:50.01, and got an 88 Beyer Speed Figure.

“She behaved completely differently yesterday. Irad had a lot of confidence in her and rode her accordingly,” Motion said. “There are graded races for her in the fall, and she obviously appreciates 1 1/8 miles.”