Thursday, October 5, 2023
Courtesy of Thoroughbred Daily News
By Alan Carasso
“Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable’s ‘TDN Rising Star’ Agate Road (Quality Road) saved his best for last, as he found his best stride inside the final furlong and edged away to take Wednesday’s GII Pilgrim S., earning an all-expenses-paid trip to Santa Anita for the Nov. 3 GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf in the process.
Favored at a shade under 5-2 the $650,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase–carrying the St. Elias colors this time–was content to sit one from the tail as the outposted Spirit Prince (Cairo Prince)–a latest third in the GIII With Anticipation S. Aug. 31–crossed and cleared all the inside traffic to lead through an opening quarter in :23.51. Quietly ridden down the back by Irad Ortiz, Jr., Agate Road was asked for some acceleration as the at the midpoint turn with less than three furlongs to race, but was forced to concede ground in the process. Spun widest into the stretch, Agate Road was up into third and looking a bit one-paced at the eighth pole, but began to zero in on the Spirit Prince a few strides thereafter and did his best work through the wire. Fulmineo (Bolt d’Oro) knifed through late for second ahead of the dead-heating Liam’s Journey (Liam’s Map) and Spirit Prince.
A claim of foul by Fulmineo’s jockey Flavien Prat against the winner was ultimately denied and the result allowed to stand. Owing to an apparent toteboard malfunction, the numbers of the third and fourth home flashed erroneously.
Agate Road was to make his career debut on the turf at Saratoga Aug. 5, stayed in when it was washed onto a fast main track and finished well to just miss. Getting his chance on the grass Sept. 2, the bay raced near the back of the pack in a paceless race, was seven deep into the lane, was forced out by a drifting rival in upper stretch and motored home to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.
“Last time, he had too much to do and he still [got] there,” the winning jockey commented. “That gave me a lot of confidence. It was a beautiful trip and I just lose a couple lengths in the last turn and I was comfortable with that. I trust the trainer [Todd Pletcher]–he told me the horse was ready.”
