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Essential Quality shows braveness and quality with thrilling Blue Grass win

Essential Quality: had to dig deep to win the Grade 2 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland on Saturday
Essential Quality: had to dig deep to win the Grade 2 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland on SaturdayCredit: Bobby Ellis

Essential Quality cemented his leading contender claims and position towards the top of the betting for next month's Kentucky Derby with a brave victory in the Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland on Saturday.

The Godolphin-owned three-year-old was crowned the Eclipse Awards champion two-year-old male after an unbeaten juvenile campaign that was capped off with Breeders' Cup glory at the Kentucky track in November.

The son of Tapit made a successful reappearance in the Grade 3 Southwest Stakes at Oaklawn in February, and was the 1-2 favourite to add another trial success to his name in the Toyota-sponsored Blue Grass Stakes.

However, little went right from the beginning of the race when Essential Quality went right and received a bump coming out of the stalls, then had to chase down leader Highly Motivated in the home straight.

The Brad Cox-trained star showed he had braveness as well as quality in abundance and dug deep to win the historic Grade 2 by a neck, maintaining his unbeaten record and enhancing his credentials for the 'Run For The Roses', which takes place at Churchill Downs on May 1.

"It's a tremendous feeling. He had to dig in today. It was probably what he needed," Cox said. "It was good for him to get a good test today. He did everything easy enough in his last race. I was proud of what he was able to overcome today. Big effort."

It was also another big-race victory in the famous Godolphin blue silks for jockey Luis Saez, who scooped the Dubai World Cup last week in the same colours on Mystic Guide.

Saez added: "That other horse was fighting and I thought we weren't going to get him, but I always had faith in Essential Quality. He's a nice horse. No matter how fast or slow the pace, he always wants to be first at the wire."

After his victory, Essential Quality was shortened to 7-2 joint-favouritism with bet365 for the Kentucky Derby alongside the Bob Baffert-trained Concert Tour.

Fellow Kentucky Derby hopeful Rock Your World also enhanced his claims for the race with an authoritative victory in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby on Saturday, while Bourbonic registered a 72-1 shock victory in the Wood Memorial Stakes at Aqueduct in the day's other trial.


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