Wildcat Red returns to form in Quality Road
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. -- Wildcat Red got the second half of his 3-year-old campaign off to a rousing start when cruising to a very easy and extremely impressive 10 ¼-length victory over East Hall in Saturday’s $75,000 Quality Road Stakes at Gulfstream Park.
Despite getting pushed through a 22.85 opening quarter and 45.91 half-mile split, Wildcat Red was able to draw off to a commanding advantage on the final turn then was geared down late by jockey Luis Saez to register his third victory in six starts this season for the Honors Stable Corp. and trainer Jose Garoffalo. Wildcat Red, who had not started since finishing a distant 18th in the Kentucky Derby eight weeks earlier, won the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth and Grade 3 Hutcheson here earlier this winter. He was also second behind Constitution in the Grade 1 Florida Derby.
East Hall was easily second best after saving ground behind the dueling early leaders, finishing 5 ¼ lengths in front of Real Steel who passed tired rivals to finish third in a field of seven 3-year-olds.
Wildcat Red paid $2.60 after completing a mile and one sixteenth over a fast track in 1:42.70.
“He won very impressively,” said Garoffalo. “Actually I’m more impressed than I was expecting to be. The most important thing is that the horse showed his class again and that he’s in very good condition, especially after his problems in the Derby, and it shows me the horse will be ready for the next one which will be the Haskell.”
The Grade 1 Haskell will be run at Monmouth Park on July 27.
“Luis told me he feels the horse is better than ever,” said Garoffalo. “Luis was very smart, he let the other horses run faster than him, he settled down in the first half-mile, I had a lot of confidence in the rider. The fractions were fast but they were about the same as he ran in the Fountain of Youth. He came back sound after the Derby. I gave him the time off he needed to relieve the pressure he had leading up to the Derby. Luis was very smart in the Derby, when he saw he had no chance, he eased up on the horse. I think that’s the difference between having a horse sound for the rest of the year or having a horse with some problems.”
Garoffalo said Wildcat Red would likely work once at Gulfstream before shipping to Monmouth Park, where he’ll breeze once prior to the Haskell.