Essential Quality shows braveness and quality with thrilling Blue Grass win

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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