Quality Road
 

I have the utmost respect for gate crews - it's a tough, tough job.

But what I think I saw today - and please note, I said "I think I saw" - was about the most awful job of loading a problem horse I have ever seen.

It quickly became clear Quality Road didn't want to be touched, or whipped, or even whip cracked on or near his hind end. He seemed to start bucking as soon as the first touch on his ass occurred.

I thought they had the situation under control when the backed him out and blindfolded him. It seemed he went straight back in with the blindfold and they closed the gate behind - and I figured he was in. But then it seemed the asst. starter cracked the whip at his feet twice after the door closed behind him and that's when he went off.

Assuming the asst. starter cracked the whip after the door was closed, why in the world did would he do that when the horse was in the gate and the door was closed?

Had to be one of the scarier things I've seen. And if my sequence of events is accurate, it had to be one of the most pathetic performances by an asst I've EVER seen.

It's a scary, scary thing when a horse flips out like that. Pletcher is going to have his hands full trying to build Quality Road's trust again.

I agree there was at least one other horse after him they could have loaded and walk him around and see if he would settle him down, they became so focused on the order of loading they lost sight.

But as you said that is a tough job and who am I just a guy on the coach watching. but it did seem they could have allowed some time for him though

I don't think they ever closed the back doors. He started kicking out those hind legs before they could close them.

They should have immediately took the blindfold OFF as soon as he was in.They left it on,and brought him out the front after the fiasco,and the blindfold was still on him and he was still freakin' out.He did not relax until finally someone reached up and pulled it off.Yes,it was a poor job by the starters.

What about the guy on the crew that grabbed the reins as QR took off out the front of the gate with the blindfold still on! If he doesn't grab the reins and QR bolts, I can't even imagine what a scared blindfolded horse does with a crowd like that in the stands - could have been very ugly.

I say we go back to walkup starts.

He went absolutely biserk. It even looked/sounded like he kicked the tire at the end of the gate. I wouldn't be suprised if he suffered some sort of career ending injury after that display. And agreed it was a terrible job done by the starters.

I'm not sure what they could have done differently. Karma is a bitch Mr Evans.

agree, come on. that horse was out of control.

i've seen horses go haywire, but nothing like that today-and especially not in such a big race. and like derby cat said, luckily he didn't break loose through the front of the gate. hopefully he comes out of that incident ok.

Cigar Mile!

agreed, i bet him, i was touting him all week. its a half a ton of wild animal against 200 pound men. they can't make him do something hes not willing to do without someone or the horse getting hurt.(when its that out of hand) no one got hurt and the horse was scratched. like someone said the outcome could of been ugly. no one got hurt and i got my money back. i can't complain.

Agree Cannon. was Jimmy Jerkens smirking wherever he was? Horse has thrived since leaving his barn.

His ears were pinned the whole time. The horse just wasn't going in the gate and the crew wasn't at fault from what we saw on T.V.

i agree, this guy deserves a medal or a raise...

I think he just didn't like the synthetic track!:D

:tro:

I think he threw the fit cause he knew PG was all over him.