Essential Quality wows in Breeders' Futurity; Juvenile next
Godolphin missed an opportunity to start in last year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile with their talented, but oft-injured Breeders' Futurity winner Maxfield.
The operation will have a chance at redemption this year as its 2-year-old son of Tapit, Essential Quality, rolled home to an impressive victory in Saturday's Grade 1, $400,000 Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland.
Essential Quality and jockey Luis Saez tracked Upstriker, who set the early pace, traveling :48.86 for the opening half mile. Saez would not allow Upstriker to get a breather and made an early move to take the lead as they turned for home.
Just as Keepinmind and Super Stock started mounting closing bids, Saez shook the reins and Essential Quality drew away from his challengers in powerful fashion.
Saez was blown away by the talent of his promising colt.
"Wow, what a horse, Saez said. "And today he proved that he’s a very good horse. He did it pretty easy. He was a little green when he came to the track – he was looking around a little bit, but he took off. He was running. What a horse. I’m so glad I’m on this horse.”
The Brad Cox trainee completed the 1 1/8-mile race in a final time of 1:44.37 and paid $5.80 to win after taking all the late money. Keepinmind at 52-1 held off Super Stock for second. Upstriker faded to fourth.
“We’ve had some very nice 2-year-old fillies, but this is probably the best (2-year-old colt) I’ve had as far as talent goes," Cox said after the race. "He’s our first Grade 1 winner as a 2-year-old colt. He means a lot to us. He showed us from Day 1 that he’s special, very talented."
Touted debut winners Calibrate and Founder were never involved.
Though he did not receive a high Beyer Speed Figure on debut, Essential Quality was visually impressive and professional while breaking maiden at Churchill Downs. He took a large step forward in start number two and will look to become the seventh winner of the Breeders' Cup Juvenile to come out of the Breeders' Futurity.
He will likely be the second choice in the race behind Hopeful (G1) winner Jackie's Warrior.