7/25/2010

The Usual Q.T. gets second Grade 1 in Read

The Usual Q.T. had a six-race winning streak in the second half of 2009 that featured four stakes wins. He may be in the midst of another late-season streak this year.

Saturday at Del Mar, The Usual Q.T. rallied from just off the pace to win the $300,000 Eddie Read Stakes by two lengths, his first stakes victory since December and his first stakes win against older horses. The Grade 1 Read was The Usual Q.T.'s second consecutive win, preceded by an allowance race at Hollywood Park on June 27.

The Eddie Read Stakes was The Usual Q.T.'s second win at that level; he won the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby last November. The Read, though, meant more to trainer Jim Cassidy.

"This year, going against the older horses, it's tough," Cassidy said. "It's the toughest thing in racing. He's had to prove he's as good as the older horses."

Ridden by Victor Espinoza, The Usual Q.T. ($4.80) won the Read after a moment of excitement on the turn when Espinoza faced a decision while racing behind Acclamation and Enriched. Espinoza considered angling The Usual Q.T. to the rail, but hesitated for a moment before guiding The Usual Q.T. three wide in early stretch. Once clear, The Usual Q.T. rallied quickly, and turned a head advantage at the eighth pole into two lengths at the wire.

"The horses in front of me were going in and out. I thought of taking the short way and going inside, but I waited," Espinoza said. "It was a good thing that I did."

Owned by a partnership, The Usual Q.T. ran 1 1/8 miles on turf in 1:47.28. "When he got clear, I was happy," Cassidy said.

Victor's Cry, the winner of the Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile at Hollywood Park in May, closed from sixth in a field of seven to finish second, 1 1/4 lengths in front of Enriched, who was second for much of the race behind pacesetter Acclamation. The English import Crowded House finished fourth, followed by Hyades, Acclamation, and Loup Breton, who had a troubled trip in the stretch.

A gelding by Unusual Heat, The Usual Q.T. has won 8 of 15 starts and $993,320. The Read was his fourth graded stakes win. Last year, The Usual Q.T. won the Grade 2 Oak Tree Derby and the Grade 3 Sir Beaufort Stakes before and after the Hollywood Derby.

Cassidy said The Usual Q.T. will be considered for the Arlington Million at Arlington Park on Aug. 21 if the turf course there is firm. If the turf course is soft, Cassidy said The Usual Q.T. will remain in California, with races such as the $1 million Pacific Classic on the Polytrack synthetic surface on Aug. 28 or the $200,000 Del Mar Handicap at 1 3/8 miles on turf on Aug. 29 under consideration.

A start in the Del Mar Handicap would be the longest race of The Usual Q.T.'s career. "If he'll relax, he'll get the distance," Cassidy said.

St Trinians to miss Hirsch; no Zenyatta rematch

St Trinians, who gave the undefeated champion Zenyatta a scare in the Grade 1 Vanity Handicap at Hollywood Park in June before losing by a half-length, will miss an expected start in the $300,000 Clement Hirsch Stakes at Del Mar on Aug. 7 because of soreness, trainer Mike Mitchell said on Saturday.

St Trinians will be turned out and pointed for a 2011 campaign, Mitchell said. The decision was reached on Saturday after consulting with owners Dan Capen and Laura Chavers.

"We're not going to run," Mitchell said. "I blew her out at Hollywood Park and I brought her down here and she's body sore and stiff. If I were to blame it on anything, I'd blame it on taking on Zenyatta."

St Trinians had had two workouts since the Vanity, the most recent of which was a five-furlong breeze in 1:03 on July 10.

Mitchell said he discussed St Trinians's situation with the owners on Saturday. "I said, 'If she's not right, I don't want to run her if she's not 100 percent,'" Mitchell said. "We'll give her a break, no more than three months. I'll probably get my hands on her in November or December.

"She's earned it. I think she can be useful next year."

St Trinians has won 7 of 13 starts and $308,587, with the bulk of the earnings coming this year. A 5-year-old British-bred mare by Piccolo, St Trinians won two stakes at the Santa Anita winter meeting - the minor Paseana Handicap and the Grade 1 Santa Maria Handicap, beating 2009 Breeders' Cup Ladies Distaff winner Life Is Sweet in the latter race.

St Trinians started in the Santa Anita Handicap against males on March 6 and finished sixth as the 3-1 favorite, 6 3/4 lengths behind race winner Misremembered. Following that race, Mitchell targeted the Vanity Handicap as a late spring goal for St Trinians.

In the Vanity at 1 1/8 miles, St Trinians closed from fifth to take the lead in early stretch. She led by a half-length at the eighth pole and was only caught by Zenyatta in the last sixteenth. Zenyatta carried top weight of 129 pounds in the Vanity, nine more than St Trinians.

Mitchell said that if he pressed St Trinians into a start in the Clement Hirsch, which is run at 1 1/16 miles at equal weights, she would probably not run well.

"If there is ever going to be a time she'll bounce, it's this time," he said

Mitchell has tentative plans to start St Trinians in the major stakes for older fillies and mares in California in 2011 when Zenyatta, owned by Jerry and Ann Moss, is scheduled to be retired and bred.

"I hope the Mosses stick to their guns and retire that mare," Mitchell said.

by Steve Andersen
from drf.com