Actually High quality goes the space, in each his races and touring from monitor to trace. At his eleventh racetrack in 13 begins and including to his fame as a marathoner, the 4-year-old gelding wrested momentum away from Balnikhov within the stretch to win the 1 1/2-mile Hollywood Turf Cup Stakes (G2T) at Del Mar Nov. 29.
Transport to Del Mar after back-to-back stakes victories, Actually High quality drew the skin submit and went off because the 8-5 favourite within the area of 9. As longshot Fearless Soldier took the early lead, jockey Vincent Cheminaud let Actually High quality ramble alongside subsequent to final by fractions of :24.73 for a quarter-mile and :49.27 for a half-mile.Actually High quality, dk b/br, 4/g
High quality Street — Actually Collectively, by Good Strike
Proprietor: Augustin Stables
Breeder: George Strawbridge Jr. (KY)
Coach: Jonathan Thomas
Jockey: Vincent Cheminaud
Data supplied by Equibase at time of entry.
Pedigree Notes
High quality Street stands at Lane’s Finish for $150,000 (2025).
“The tempo was excellent for us,” Cheminaud mentioned.
The one horse behind Actually High quality at that time was Balnikhov, a proficient native runner who had captured this yr’s Dinner Occasion Stakes (G3T) at Pimlico Race Course.
After the sphere had traveled a mile, Actually High quality and Balnikhov nonetheless trailed the others. Cheminaud requested Actually High quality as they approached the ultimate flip and had the bounce on Balnikhov. They each circled vast to take intention on Goldeneye , one other longshot who had raced in second early after which took command on the five-sixteenths pole.Join BloodHorse Day by day
Balnikhov, going widest, appeared to have all of the momentum, grabbing the lead within the remaining sixteenth as Goldeneye pale. However Actually High quality wasn’t performed, and he surged ahead between Balnikhov on the skin and Nineeleventurbo inside him to attain by a half-length in 2:28.54. Balnikhov ran second by 1 1/2 lengths over Nineeleventurbo.
Actually High quality would not at all times lag to this point behind in his races.
“For no matter purpose he is falling off of the tempo, however he comes operating and I believed his stamina actually got here into play at this time,” mentioned coach Jonathan Thomas. “Had we been drawn just a little nearer, possibly we may have been able or two additional forward. Nevertheless it’s arduous to complain with the result.”
Although Cheminaud says Actually High quality can get lazy in a race, the gelding will get the job performed whereas following a demanding journey schedule. Thomas, who trains Actually High quality for proprietor/breeder George Strawbridge Jr.’s Augustin Stables, began him out at Horseshoe Indianapolis in Might of his 3-year-old season. Since then, Actually High quality has competed at Churchill Downs, Belmont Park, Kentucky Downs, Keeneland, Santa Anita Park, Aqueduct Racetrack, Saratoga Race Course, Colonial Downs, and Woodbine earlier than making an attempt Del Mar.
Actually High quality would not at all times win, however that is normally as a result of he desires a distance of floor. His 4 earlier victories got here at 1 1/4 miles, 1 3/8 miles, 1 1/2 miles (within the Colonial Cup Stakes), and 1 3/8 miles (within the Singspiel Stakes, G3T).
Actually High quality comes naturally by his distance capabilities on the turf. His second dam is Endlessly Collectively , who gained the 1 1/4-mile Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1T) for Augustin in 2008 en path to an Eclipse Award as champion grass mare. Endlessly Collectively produced Actually Collectively , Actually High quality’s dam whose three victories got here round two activates the turf.
High quality Street , the sire of Actually High quality, made his profession on the dust, with most of his seven stakes wins round two turns. This yr, the 18-year-old stallion has additionally been represented by graded winners Nationwide Treasure , Integration , Hope Street , Heroic Transfer , Missed the Reduce , and Monitor Phantom . High quality Street’s 2025 stud price shall be $150,000, and he stands at Lane’s Finish close to Versailles, Ky.
Video: Hollywood Turf Cup S. (G2T)
