Top Quality has easy time with Irish Day Stakes

Top Quality lived up to her name with a convincing 3 3/4-length win over Blazinbeauty in the $50,000 Irish Day Stakes at Emerald Downs Sunday. She paid $11.40.

Trained by Blaine Wright, Top Quality was making just her third career start and first since she won a maiden special weight race at Golden Gate Fields on June 3.

With Juan Gutierrez aboard, she was midpack during the early stages of the one-mile race for 3-year-old fillies. She started to move into serious contention while going four-wide around the second turn, took over the lead at the three-sixteenths pole and drew off in an impressive performance.

Blazinbeauty rallied to finish second but was never a serious threat to the winner. Retreat Yourself came from a stalking position to finish third.

Risque’s Legacy, the 9-5 favorite in the 10-horse field, set the pace before tiring to finish eighth.

The final time was 1:34.88.

“I had never been on her so I was a bit surprised with how well she ran,” Gutierrez said. “When I asked her she exploded.”

The Kentucky-bred daughter of Quality Road is owned by Dave Mowat, who races under the stable name Ten Broeck Farm.

Top Quality was bought for $280,000 out of the 2015 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.