Quality Response steps up in class in G1 Frizette

By Brian Bohl on Big Sandy is one of four ‘Win and You’re In’ qualifiers to the Breeders’ Cup in this weekend’s stakespacked Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Racing Festival at Belmont, which on Sunday will also feature the Grade 1, $500,000 Flower Bowl [Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf] and the Grade 3, $150,000 Futurity [Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint].

America’s Day at the Races will present live national television coverage from 2-5:30 p.m. Eastern on FS2 with regional coverage airing on MSG Networks from 4:00 - 6:00 p.m.

Quality Response, owned by Karl Watson, Michael Pegram and Paul Weitman, surged onto the scene a 7 ¼-length winner against a 10-horse field in her 5 ½-furlong debut on September 1 at Del Mar. Trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, the Quality Road filly handled the stretch out in distance to post a 5 ½-length score in her stakes debut next out in the 6 ½-furlong Phone Chatter 18 days later at Los Alamitos.

A $200,000 purchase at the 2018 Keeneland September Sale, Quality Response has won both races on fast tracks and will again be running back less than three weeks from her previous start.

“She’s run two good races and she’s coming back a little quicker than I’d like to, but she seemed to bounce back and worked nice,” Baffert said. “We’re taking a shot in the Frizette in the one-turn mile. We’ll see how she fits in with those horses there.”

Baffert said Belmont’s sweeping track is a better fit for Quality Response at this stage of her career compared to a two-turn race. In both starts, she stayed just off the early speed before taking command and drawing away.