VIRGINIA-BRED AND OWNED, QUALITY ROAD, HEADED FOR KENTUCKY DERBY
Submitted by: VTA
Phone:
Email Address: VTA(at)vabred.org
Date Added: 4/23/2009
Could Be Fifth Virginia Horse in 135 Years to Win the Derby
WARRENTON, Va., April 23, 2009 -- The Virginia Thoroughbred Association (VTA), Virginia thoroughbred breeders and Virginia horse aficionados are anxiously awaiting a Virginia winner at this year’s Kentucky Derby.
Edward P. Evans’ Virginia-bred Quality Road will be a formidable contender on May 2 when the field of horses lines up at the start gate for the 135th running of the Kentucky Derby. The three-year old, big, dark bay colt won his first race at Aqueduct in November, 2008; and he has recently been announced the favorite, by several odds makers, after an impressive win in the $750,000 Florida Derby on March 28.
If he wins the Kentucky Derby, Quality Road will be the fifth Virginia-bred horse to do so, and the first since 1993. He is also the third horse to hail from Fauquier County, Virginia. “The horse truly appears to have wings on his hooves,” states VTA Executive Director Glenn Petty.
But Quality Road’s life has not always been so easy. Having flipped upside down prior to his birth, vets had to work to flip him around. Everyone worried as to whether or not he’d make it. Once born, he was noted to have a lean body and extremely long legs. “Long legs are a good thing to a point,” explains Petty, “however, there is a point where the horse’s legs can just be too long to produce the speed needed. If they’re too ‘leggy’, they have a tendency to get tangled up and not produce the lightening speed needed to win.” As Quality Road became stronger and grew, he picked up speed and Evans began to think he really had something special.
And Evans can certainly recognize something special. From a family of thoroughbred breeding, he is not new to the sport. He owns Spring Hill Farm in Casanova, where Saint Liam the 2005 Horse of the Year was born. He is also the largest breeder of thoroughbreds in Virginia. He won 104 races last year and earned $3.3 million. Evans farm is among one of the few remaining American-owned racing operations.
In spite of carrying on Virginia’s historic racing traditions, Quality Road has a Facebook page and is also on Twitter. He was the first Derby entry to obtain a Facebook page.
“The entire Virginia equine industry is excited about this horse,” Petty exclaims. “We know that Quality Road has a very good shot at being a Virginia-bred Kentucky Derby winner.” The majority of Derby winners have historically hailed from Kentucky, with a few from Florida, Pennsylvania, New York, and Virginia.
On May 2, yet another Virginia-bred horse may be added to the prestigious list of Derby winners as Quality Road, the long legged colt from Virginia runs for the roses.
The Virginia Thoroughbred Association was organized in 1941 to promote the Thoroughbred horse in the Commonwealth. (540) 347-4313. VTA@vabred.org. www.vabred.org.
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=75003471943&ref=ts
http://twitter.com/Quality_Road
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