Alysheba (Grade 2)- $600.000 Purse
CD- For Four Year Olds and Upward
One Mile and One Sixteenth on the Dirt
May 5, 2023

Last year on Derby Day, Quality Art picked up a win in the Knicks Go for his first stake win. Since then, he has only continued to do more and more on the track and even if he wasn’t winning the Grade 1’s that he was running in, he was quite often within a length of the winner and cashing a check. In six of his last seven races, he had registered a triple digit SRF, and for this reason he seemed like he should be one of the favorites. He would be our pick, and the pick of most of the bettors, as he would be that post-time favorite. In the Grade 2 Alysheba, Quality Art would run the same way he typically does, and he would get that victory, and likely will get another SRF of at least 100 when that gets figured out. This five-year-old gelding is trained by Mb Stables, and it his third win in the race, and second consecutive. P Lopez is the winning rider, and it’s his first Alysheba. Congratulations to them! The time of the win was 1:40.62, and that is a new stake record by .01! Let’s take a look at it!

(1/4 Mile- :22.73)- Crypto shoots out to the early lead, and quickly opens up a lead of about two lengths for Maxmillion Farm. No one is interesting in running with him, but content to stalk that pace would be our eventual winner, Quality Art, for Mb Stables. Even he is beside himself, as he leads a group of four that are right behind him. On the rail here, Gdp Inc’s Positive Id, and moving towards the outside here, we have Mr Pancake (Arindel), Electile Dysfunction (TwinTowersRacing), and Home Spirit (Night Rider Stables). Behind them, it’s Speter (Nakamura Stables), and at the back of the pack, Ricki Tikki Tavi (La Canada Racehorses) and Hard To Forgive (D J C Racing Stables).

(1/2 Mile- 46.26)- Around the opening turn and into the backstretch, it’s a two-horse breakaway even if they aren’t running side by side. Crypto remains up front, and for now he’s looking good up there. Quality Art has closed in just a little bit, as P Lopez wants to make sure that the leader does not pull too far in front of him. There’s actually a pretty big gap that has opened up behind Quality Art now, of almost three lengths. The same group of four that was there before is there now, as we do not see much to talk about from those further back as they seem content to just ride it out for now.

(Top of Stretch, 1.8F To Go)- Crypto shows the way down the backstretch, and into the turn but once there, Quality Art begins to make his move for the lead. It was a gradual advance, and about midway through the turn, they were side by side and by the time they reached the stretch, we had a new race leader. Quality Art now led about half a length, and behind Crypto there was still around two lengths to the rest of the field. Looking further back, it was not one of the off of four that was next in line that was beginning to hit their best stride, but both Ricki Tikki Tavi and Hard To Forgive. They had to make up some group to catch those four horses, and they would do so in the turn and were each poised to pass a bunch if not make a bid for the win.

(Finish- 1:40.62)- In the stretch, Quality Art pulls further and further away from Crypto and seems to destined to pull off an easy victory. Would there be anyone making a late charge on him? Not today! The big advantage that Quality Art had on the rest of the field would prove to be insurmountable once he made the pass of Crypto. Hard To Forgive was full of run in the stretch, and actually did make up quite a bit of ground, but that will only be good enough for second. Longshot Ricki Tikki Tavi also did all he could and ended up edging out Crypto for third. The rest of the running order reads: Mr Pancake, Home Spirit, Speter, Electile Dysfunction, Speter, and Positive Id. Those five pretty did nothing all race.

About The Winner- Quality Art, trained by Mb Stables and ridden to victory by P Lopez, is a five-year-old gelding by Worst Case Scenario, and is out of Kaizoku. He was bred in California as a third quarter two-year-old by Mb Stables, and they have been together throughout. Congratulations to the connections! The win is his sixth in 19 starts, his third stake win, and second graded win. His career earnings are now $1,319.180.

Track: Fast
Time: :22³  :46¹  1:10¹  1:40³

$2 Mutuel Prices:

$1 Exacta: 5 – 9 Paid 30.20
$1 Trifecta: 5 – 9 – 7 Paid 1,702.70

Scratched: None

— NS

Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES