Elusive Quality

Elusive Quality (January 27, 1993 – March 14, 2018) was a Thoroughbred racehorse. A record-setting sprinter on the racetrack, he is best known as the sire of Kentucky Derby winner Smarty Jones. Elusive Quality was the leading sire in North America of 2004.

Elusive Quality
SireGone West
GrandsireMr. Prospector
DamTouch of Greatness
DamsireHero's Honour
SexStallion
Foaled(1993-01-27)27 January 1993
Died14 March 2018(2018-03-14) (aged 25)
CountryUnited States
ColourBay
BreederSilver Springs Stud Farm Inc. & Mrs. J. Costelloe
OwnerSheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum
Record20: 9-3-2
Earnings$413,284[1]
Major wins
Poker Handicap (1998)
Jaipur Stakes (1998)
Awards
Leading sire in North America (2004)

Background

Elusive Quality was bred in Kentucky by Silver Springs Stud Farm and Marie Costelloe. He was owned by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who put him into training with Bill Mott. Elusive Quality was sired by Gone West, a stakes winning son of Mr. Prospector. Elusive Quality's dam, Touch of Greatness, was an unraced daughter of Hero's Honor. She was a granddaughter of 1981 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year Natashka.[1][2]

Racing career

Elusive Quality raced twenty times and won nine times, including two stakes races, on both turf and dirt. He made his first start as a three-year-old on May 3, 1996 in a maiden special weight race at Belmont Park, which he won in front-running fashion by 11 12 lengths. His time for 1 116 miles over the sloppy main track was a solid 1:41.20.[3] He was second in his next start, then won his third start, an allowance race at Belmont. Stepped up in class, he finished second in the King's Bishop Stakes at Saratota, nosed out at the wire by Honour and Glory.[4] He was then eighth in the Vosburgh Stakes before being returned to allowance company, in which he finished second and first in his last two starts of the year.[1]

Gone West began his four-year-old campaign on February 21, 1997 in an allowance race at Gulfstream Park. He set a fast pace and continued to open up ground on the rest of the field to win by five lengths. His time of 1:20.17 for seven furlongs set a track record, and earned him the highest Beyer Speed Figure of the year for a sprinter.[2][5] He was winless in his other four starts that year, with the highlight being a third place finish in the Tom Fool Handicap.[1]

Elusive Quality won four of seven starts at age five. He started the year with an allowance race win on February 5, 1998 at Gulfstream Park, then another allowance win on April 29 at Churchill Downs. Stepped up in class for the Metropolitan Handicap on May 25, he finished eighth. Just six days later though, Mott decided to switch Elusive Quality from dirt to turf. He responded by earning his first graded stakes win in the Jaipur Handicap, prevailing by a head in a time of 1:20.99 for seven furlongs over turf.[6] On July 4 in the Poker Handicap, he went straight to the lead and won by six lengths while setting what was then a world record of 1:31.63 for one mile on the turf.[2][7] "With this horse," said jockey Jerry Bailey, "you just break and hang on. If he feels like it, he wins. It seems he's more comfortable now that he runs on turf."[8]

He finished his career with a fourth place finish in the Woodbine Mile and a sixth in the Kelso Handicap. His career earnings were $413,284.[1]

Stud career

Elusive Quality retired to stud in 1999 for an initial fee of $10,000. He initially stood at Gainsborough Farm in Versailles, Kentucky before being relocated in 2007 to Darley America's Jonabell Farm in Lexington, Kentucky. During the South American breeding season, he was shuttled to Darley Australia or Stud TNT in Brazil.[2] By 2005, his stud fee had increased to $100,000. At the time of his death in 2018, he had sired 51 graded stakes winners including eight champions. He was also the broodmare sire of 73 black-type winners.[9]

Notable progeny

c = colt, f = filly, g = gelding

Foaled Name Sex Major Wins
2000 Elusive City c Prix Morny
2001 Maryfield f Ballerina Stakes, Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint
2001 Smarty Jones c Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes
2004 Camarilla (AUS) f Sires' Produce Stakes
2005 Raven's Pass c Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, 2008 Breeders' Cup Classic
2006 Quality Road c Florida Derby, Donn Handicap, Metropolitan Handicap, Woodward Stakes
2008 Sepoy (AUS) c Blue Diamond Stakes, Golden Slipper Stakes, Manikato Stakes, Coolmore Stud Stakes
2009 Avenger Of Light (BRZ) c Linneo de Paula Machado
2009 Elusive Kate f Prix Marcel Boussac, Prix Rothschild (twice), Falmouth Stakes
2010 Certify c Fillies' Mile
2011 Birkin Bag (BRZ) c GP Diana
2011 Bonaparte (BRZ) c GP Derby Paulista
2011 Colorado Girl (BRZ) f GP Roberto e Nelson Grimaldi Seabra
2011 Last Kiss f GP Henrique de Toledo Lara
2011 Ohio c Frank E. Kilroe Mile
2015 She's a Julie f La Troienne Stakes, Ogden Phipps Stakes
2016 Ce Ce f Beholder Mile Stakes, Apple Blossom Handicap

Death

Elusive Quality was euthanized on March 14, 2018 due to the infirmities of old age.[9]

Pedigree

Pedigree of Elusive Quality, bay stallion, foaled January 27, 1993[10]
Sire
Gone West
bay 1984
Mr. Prospector
b. 1970
Raise a Native
ch. 1961
Native Dancer
Raise You
Gold Digger
b. 1962
Nashua
Sequence
Secrettame
ch. 1978
Secretariat
ch. 1970
Bold Ruler
Somethingroyal
Tamerett
dkb/br. 1962
Tim Tam
Mixed Marriage
Dam
Touch of Greatness
bay 1986
Hero's Honor
b. 1980
Northern Dancer
b. 1961
Nearctic
Natalma
Glowing Tribute
b. 1973
Graustark
Admiring
Ivory Wand
b. 1973
Sir Ivor
b. 1965
Sir Gaylord
Attica
Natashka
dkb/br. 1963
Dedicate
Natasha (Family 13-c)[11]

References

  1. "Profile of Elusive Quality". www.equibase.com. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
  2. Hunter, Avalyn. "Elusive Quality (horse)". American Classic Pedigrees. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
  3. "Chart for May 3, 1996 at Belmont Park". www.equibase.com. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
  4. "Chart of the King's Bishop Stakes". www.equibase.com. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
  5. "Chart for February 21, 1997, Gulfstream Park". www.equibase.com. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
  6. "Chart for the Jaipur Handicap". www.equibase.com. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
  7. "Chart of the Poker Handicap". www.equibase.com. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
  8. Durso, Joseph (5 July 1998). "HORSE RACING; Elusive Quality's Poker Run Is One for the Record Books". The New York Times. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
  9. "Elusive Quality Euthanized at Age 25". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
  10. "Elusive Quality pedigree". Equineline. Retrieved 2018-03-14.
  11. "Thoroughbred Bloodlines - Stray Shot - Family 13-c". www.bloodlines.net. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
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