Touchofstarquality starting to live up to his name

ELMONT, N.Y. – You don’t name a horse Touchofstarquality without cause, and though it’s taken a while, this 5-year-old son of Mineshaft lived up to his name last Saturday, winning a second-level allowance race by 5 3/4 lengths and earning a 99 Beyer Speed Figure.

Touchofstarquality, trained by Michelle Nevin for Samantha Siegel’s Jay Em Ess Stable, has run only six times but has shown glimpses of talent, including a maiden win two years ago as a first-time starter. Still, Nevin viewed last Saturday’s performance at 1 1/8 miles as a breakthrough for the good-sized horse.

“This year, he’s a much stronger horse; he’s much more in control of himself,” Nevin said. “All along, he was just so big, and it just took this length of time for him to grow into himself and manage himself.”

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Nevin said she is not in a rush to throw Touchofstarquality into stakes company. She said the Grade 2 Suburban on July 4 would be “too much too soon.”

One plan could include an allowance race at Saratoga as a stepping-stone to the Grade 1 Woodward at the end of the meet.

Meanwhile, Nevin had mixed emotions about the narrow loss for By the Moon in the Grade 1 Acorn on Belmont Day, when she was caught late by Curalina. Sure, it was a great effort, but it’s tough to come so close in those Grade 1 events.

“She came into that race training unbelievable,” Nevin said. “She showed up against some really nice horses. Now she showed us she truly does belong.”

By the Moon won the Grade 1 Frizette here as a 2-year-old.

Nevin said By the Moon will be pointed to the Grade 1 Test, a seven-furlong race for 3-year-old fillies at Saratoga on Aug. 8.