Gonzalez Gets His Quality Road
“Mickey Gonzalez had already had one chance to acquire a colt by Quality Road out of a stakes-winning mare he had once co-owned, but he made the most of his second chance to take home the bay for $400,000 Friday in Ocala. The juvenile (hip 816) was consigned by de Meric Sales on behalf of breeder Bridlewood Farm.
“I made a private offer of $200,000 for him and they countered at $250,000 and I said no,” Gonzalez said with a rueful laugh. “But I saw the video of him breezing and–I live five minutes from here–and I just decided to come in and buy the horse. I just got in a half-hour ago.”
Gonzalez’s M Racing was a partner on the colt’s dam, Surfside Tiara (Scat Daddy), who won the 2015 Anoakia S. before selling for $675,000 at the 2017 Keeneland November sale. The mare subsequently sold to Bridlewood Farm, with this Quality Road colt in utero, for $575,000 at the 2018 Keeneland November sale.
The bay colt, from the family of Air Force Blue, was making his second trip through the sales ring this year. He RNA’d for $400,000 following a :10 flat work at the Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream sale. He came back to work a quarter in :20 4/5 last week at OBS.
“The horse worked like a real horse in Miami, but it was a tough market there,” said Bridlewood General Manager George Isaacs. “I was a little nervous coming into the sale today. We had solid vettings, but my reserve was a lot more conservative than $400,000. We are very pleased with that price.”
Isaacs continued “The horse has never turned a hair. He’s been to two sales and put up two really good works and vetted clean both times. He looks like he was chiseled out of granite. He looks like he’s ready to run tomorrow.”
Gonzalez has about 15 horses in training split between Wesley Ward, John Sadler and Peter Miller. He said Sadler will train his newest acquisition.”
By Jessica Martini
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