Strong Quality boasts a strong effort in Thursday’s featured race (Coady Photography)
Keeneland Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky.— Gary Barber and Kinsman Stable’s Strong Quality took the lead out of the gate and never trailed in posting a 1 1/4-length victory over Point Me By to win Thursday afternoon’s featured $120,000 Calumet Purse for 4-year-olds and up.
Trained by Mark Casse and ridden by Florent Geroux, Strong Quality covered the 1 1/16 miles on a turf course rated as good in 1:41.43.
Coming off a victory in his grass debut in February at Gulfstream Park, Strong Quality improved his record to 10-3-4-2 and increased his earnings to $248,915 with Thursday’s $68,820 check.
Strong Quality is a 4-year-old Kentucky-bred son of Quality Road out of the Tiznow mare Tiz So Sweet.
Sent off as the second choice in the field of 11, Strong Quality returned $7.56, $4.46 and $3.80. Point Me By, who chased the winner the entire race from second, returned $11.86 and $7.18 under Tyler Gaffalione with Cowboy Justice (GB) finishing third and paying $14.60 under James Graham. Favored Verbal was fourth.
Racing continues Friday with a 10-race program beginning at 1 p.m. ET. The card is headlined by the $600,000 Maker’s Mark Mile (G1) featuring champion and two-time Breeders’ Cup winner Modern Games (IRE). The Maker’s Mark Mile is the afternoon’s ninth race with a 5:16 p.m. post time.
