Truly Quality refuses to give up in Hollywood Turf Cup

DEL MAR, Calif. - It is not often that a stakes has four leaders in the stretch, particularly at a testing distance of 1 1/2 miles on turf.

It’s even rarer when one of the horses passed along the way rallies to grab a late lead.

Truly Quality ($5.20) won his third consecutive stakes, and the most prestigious race of his career, in Friday’s Grade 2 Hollywood Turf Cup at Del Mar.

Truly Quality closed from eighth on the backstretch. He was passed by Balnikhov on the turn, appearing to be beaten, and then rallied to catch that rival late under jockey Vincent Cheminaud.

“He was the best horse today,” Cheminaud said.

Cheminaud admitted the style of the win in the $202,000 Turf Cup led to a few uncomfortable moments.

“I was scared when that horse came to the outside of me,” he said in reference to Balnikhov.

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Truly Quality, who was timed in 2:28.54, finished a half-length in front of 6-1 Balnikhov, who was 1 1/2 lengths clear of 12-1 Nineeleventurbo in the field of nine. Truly Quality earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 97, equaling his career-best.

Fearless Soldier (30-1) set an early pace of 24.73 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 49.27 for a half-mile. Goldeneye (30-1) stalked Fearless Soldier before taking the lead on the turn.

Goldeneye led into the stretch, but was quickly challenged by Nineeleventurbo, who had a brief lead under jockey Antonio Fresu.

“I had a perfect race,” Fresu said. “He settled really nicely. I was where I wanted to be.”

Balnikhov, rallying wide under jockey Kazushi Kimura, went past Truly Quality on the turn and led in the final furlong before Truly Quality reached the front near the finish.

“I didn’t expect that horse to come back,” Kimura said.

Rockemperor finished fourth, followed by Divin Propos, None Above the Law, Goldeneye, Dicey Mo Chara, and Fearless Soldier.

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Truly Quality, who races for owner and breeder George Strawbridge, Jr.’s Augustin Stable and trainer Jonathan Thomas, has won 5 of 13 starts and earned $498,995.

Truly Quality’s current winning streak includes the Colonial Cup at 1 1/2 miles in Virginia on Sept. 7 and the Grade 3 Singspiel Stakes at 1 3/8 miles on turf at Woodbine on Oct. 5.

“I think his stamina kicked in,” Thomas said. “He’s kind of a fighter.”

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