Elusive Quality (January 27, 1993 – March 14, 2018) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse who was a record-setting sprinter on the racetrack and the leading sire in North America of 2004. He sired the 2004 Kentucky Derby winner Smarty Jones.
Background
Elusive Quality was bred in Kentucky by Silver Springs Stud Farm and Marie Costelloe. He was owned by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who put him into training with Bill Mott. Elusive Quality was sired by Gone West, a stakes winning son of Mr. Prospector. Elusive Quality's dam, Touch of Greatness, was an unraced daughter of Hero's Honor. She was a granddaughter of 1981 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year Natashka. He was second in his next start, then won his third start, an allowance race at Belmont. Stepped up in class, he finished second in the King's Bishop Stakes at Saratota, nosed out at the wire by Honour and Glory. He was then eighth in the Vosburgh Stakes before being returned to allowance company, in which he finished second and first in his last two starts of the year. He was winless in his other four starts that year, with the highlight being a third-place finish in the Tom Fool Handicap. On July 4 in the Poker Handicap, he went straight to the lead and won by six lengths while setting what was then a world record of 1:31.63 for one mile on the turf. "With this horse," said jockey Jerry Bailey, "you just break and hang on. If he feels like it, he wins. It seems he's more comfortable now that he runs on turf."
He finished his career with a fourth-place finish in the Woodbine Mile and a sixth in the Kelso Handicap. His career earnings were $413,284. By 2005, his stud fee had increased to $100,000. At the time of his death in 2018, he had sired 51 graded stakes winners including eight champions. He was also the broodmare sire of 73 black-type winners.
Notable progeny
c = colt, f = filly, g = gelding
{| border="1" cellpadding="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size:90%"
|- bgcolor="#eeeeee"
| width="35px" | Foaled
| width="120px" | Name
| width="35px" | Sex
| width="510px" | Major Wins
|-
| 2000
| Elusive City
| c
| Prix Morny
|-
| 2001
| Maryfield
| f
| Ballerina Stakes, Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint
|-
| 2001
| Smarty Jones
| c
| Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes
|-
| 2004
| Camarilla (AUS)
| f
| Sires' Produce Stakes
|-
| 2005
| Raven's Pass
| c
| Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, 2008 Breeders' Cup Classic
|-
| 2006
| Quality Road
| c
| Florida Derby, Donn Handicap, Metropolitan Handicap, Woodward Stakes
|-
| 2008
| Sepoy (AUS)
| c
| Blue Diamond Stakes, Golden Slipper Stakes, Manikato Stakes, Coolmore Stud Stakes
|-
| 2009
| Avenger Of Light (BRZ)
| c
| Linneo de Paula Machado
|-
| 2009
| Elusive Kate
| f
| Prix Marcel Boussac, Prix Rothschild (twice), Falmouth Stakes
|-
| 2010
| Certify
| c
| Fillies' Mile
|-
| 2011
| Birkin Bag (BRZ)
| c
| GP Diana
|-
| 2011
| Bonaparte (BRZ)
| c
| GP Derby Paulista
|-
| 2011
| Colorado Girl (BRZ)
| f
| GP Roberto e Nelson Grimaldi Seabra
|-
| 2011
| Last Kiss
| f
| GP Henrique de Toledo Lara
|-
| 2011
| Ohio
| c
| Frank E. Kilroe Mile
|-
| 2015
| She's a Julie
| f
| La Troienne Stakes, Ogden Phipps Stakes
|-
| 2016
| Ce Ce
| f
| Beholder Mile Stakes, Apple Blossom Handicap, Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint
|-
|}
Death
Elusive Quality was euthanized on March 14, 2018, due to the infirmities of old age.|f=Gone West<br>bay 1984|m=Touch of Greatness<br>bay 1986|ff=Mr. Prospector<br>b. 1970|fm=Secrettame<br>ch. 1978|mf=Hero's Honor<br>b. 1980|mm=Ivory Wand<br>b. 1973|fff=Raise a Native<br>ch. 1961|ffm=Gold Digger<br>b. 1962|fmf=Secretariat<br>ch. 1970|fmm=Tamerett<br>dkb/br. 1962|mff=Northern Dancer<br>b. 1961|mfm=Glowing Tribute<br>b. 1973|mmf=Sir Ivor<br>b. 1965|mmm=Natashka<br>dkb/br. 1963|ffff=Native Dancer|fffm=Raise You|ffmf=Nashua|ffmm=Sequence|fmff=Bold Ruler|fmfm=Somethingroyal|fmmf=Tim Tam|fmmm=Mixed Marriage|mfff=Nearctic|mffm=Natalma|mfmf=Graustark|mfmm=Admiring|mmff=Sir Gaylord|mmfm=Attica|mmmf=Dedicate|mmmm=Natasha (Family 13-c)
References
External links
- Evasive's page on Haras de Grandcamp's website
- Elusive Quality's page on Darley America's website
- Elusive Quality's pedigree