Quality Rocks Rolls to Take Florida Oaks
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Flavor Racing, Brous Stable, and Wachtel Stable's Quality Rocks rallied from just off the pace to capture the $200,000 Florida Oaks (gr. IIIT) for 3-year-old fillies March 7 at Tampa Bay Downs .
With Jose Lezcano riding for trainer Bill Mott, Quality Rocks won on the grass for the first time in four attempts. The filly by Rock Hard Ten out of the Elusive Quality mare Elusive Virgin had won twice before on synthetic surfaces as a 2-year-old.
Quality Rocks, the second choice at 7-2, turned the tables on favored Consumer Credit in the Florida Oaks. In the Jan. 24 Sweetest Chant Stakes (gr. IIIT) at Gulfstream Park, Consumer Credit finished first, a length ahead of Quality Rocks.
In the Florida Oaks, run on firm turf, Gulfstream entry-level allowance winner Lismore set the pace through fractions of :24.12 for the first quarter-mile, :49.14 for a half-mile, and 1:13.90 for six furlongs while tracked by Distorted Type and Quality Rocks. After one mile in 1:37.50, Lismore began to fade as Quality Rocks and Consumer Credit rallied to her outside.
It was Quality Rocks who took over inside the final sixteenth of a mile, and she never was threatened by Consumer Credit, who rallied past Lismore. Tiger Ride finished fourth. Quality Rocks won by three-quarters of a length over Consumer Credit, who had the same margin on Lismore.
The time for the 1 1/16 miles on firm turf was 1:43.39.
"She rated very well; she wasn't overly anxious and she finished good," Mott said. "Jose (Lezcano) did a great job. She has raced against good company and run well. Her body type seems to be more suited for grass. I didn't really have any anxious moments other than going into the second turn, because I could see Jose didn't go around the two in front, but he realizes how important it is to save ground.
"He stayed inside waiting for them to spread a little bit when they turned for home, and indeed they did."
"This is a very nice filly and she just loved this surface." Lezcano said. "We had good position mid-race and I was able to wait with her on the inside. The rail opened up in the final turn and she really turned it on."
Quality Rocks, bred in Florida by Destiny Oaks of Ocala, paid $9.20, $4.20, and $3 across the board. Consumer Credit returned $2.80 and $2.40, while Lismore returned $5. The $2 exacta paid $23.60 and the $1 trifecta $69.60.
Quality Rocks at 2 won the Arlington-Washington Lassie Stakes (gr. III) on Polytrack after breaking her maiden on Tapeta in her career debut at Presque Isle Downs & Casino. The filly finished second in the grade III Jessamine Stakes on grass at Keeneland but finished 10th in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (gr. IT) at Santa Anita Park in her final start of 2014.