NEW YORK (AP) — Quality Road has won the Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont Park by holding off Musket Man in the stretch to run his record to 3-0 this year.
The 4-year-old colt took the lead early on in a top-notch field of eight on Monday and withstood a late rush from Musket Man to establish himself as one of the nation’s top older horses.
Quality Road, trained by Todd Pletcher, missed the Triple Crown races last year with a foot injury. But he was in top form for one of racing’s most prestigious events — also called the Met Mile — in his first start in nearly four months.
Quality Road was sent off as the 1-4 favorite in the $500,000 Grade 1 race, and covered the mile in 1:33.11. Ridden by John Velazquez, Quality Road has won seven of 10 career starts.
