When he's right, he's right. In his most spectacular performance yet, Quality Road served notice that we'd better not concede the entire season to the ladies just yet, running away with the Grade I Donn Handicap.

The highweight at 123, Quality Road sat in second throughout, took command on the far turn, and steadily drew away under no urging from Johnny Velazquez to win by nearly 13. His time of 1:47.49 broke his own track record of 1:47.72 that he set in last year's Florida Derby.

Quality Road showed flashes of brilliance last year - winning the Fountain of Youth and Florida Derby and setting a Saratoga track record in the Amsterdam - but also struggled with quarter cracks, muddy tracks and gate issues. Trainer Todd Pletcher hopes that is behind the colt now; he says Quality Road will be freshened and pointed to the Met Mile.

"He’s got a very high cruising speed and can go 46 and 1:09 and still keep going. Not many horses can do that and he was spotting weight to all those horses, six pounds or more," Pletcher said. "The plan for him here all along was to run in the Hal’s Hope and then the Donn, give him a little break, and then point for the Met Mile and the big races at Saratoga before the Breeders’ Cup Classic in the fall."

Dry Martini, winner of last year's Suburban, rallied for second and Delightful Kiss came from last to be third.

Quality Road's performance helped erase some of the sting of the day for Pletcher, as he saw his Take the Points cross the line first in the Grade I Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap only to be disqualified.

Coming down the stretch, Kent Desormeaux, on Yate's Black Cat, went for a hole between pacesetter Le Grand Cru on the rail and a closing Take the Points. But the hole was moving faster than he was, Le Grand Cru was holding his ground at the rail, and Take the Points worsened the problem by drifting in under right-handed urging from Edgar Prado. Yate's Black Cat clipped heels badly in traffic and stumbled.

Following a steward's inquiry, Take the Points was placed fifth. Pletcher says he'll consider an appeal since Take the Points wasn't solely to blame for the issue.

The beneficiary was Court Vision, who closed on the outside to be second and was moved up to first with the DQ. The winner of last year's Shadwell Mile, the 5-year-old was ridden by Robby Albarado for Rick Dutrow and IEAH Stables. Never on Sunday was second and Le Grand Cru third.

Also on the card, Tottie won the Grade III Suwanee River over Cable and In My Glory.

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Peppi Knows scored his second stakes win in the Whirlaway at Aqueduct after favored Eightyfiveinafifty took himself out of the race on the first turn.

Eightyfiveinafifty was rank while being rushed up to the lead in the first quarter mile under Jorge Chavez. He then blew the turn and Chavez, sensing it wasn't his day, attempted to pull him up along the outside rail. At some point, however, the bit and reins broke, causing Chavez to lose control of the colt. Eightyfiveinafifty jumped both outside rails, tossing Chavez, and ran back through the stable area, where he was caught by a stable gate employee before he could escape onto the highway.

Trainer Gary Contessa says he'll go back to the drawing board with the colt, who was physically fine except for a cut on his hind leg that needed stitches.

"He'll need a couple of stitches. I'll need a Valium," Contessa quipped.

Chavez complained of back pain and will take off his lone mount Sunday; X-rays were negative and he's expected to ride again Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Peppi Knows led wire to wire but was shortening stride at the end, just holding off a closing Afleet Again. Richie Migliore, in his second day back after sustaining a mild concussion, rode the winner.

The winner flattered the form of Buddy's Saint, who he finished second behind in last fall's Remsen. Peppi Knows also won the Finger Lakes Juvenile Stakes in October.

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A pair of horses who were on last year's Triple Crown trail turned in solid performances on Saturday. In the Essex Handicap at Oaklawn, Racing Bran upset favored Win Willy, but the second was an encouraging effort from a promising colt who missed last year's Triple Crown with an injury.

In his first start since finishing third in the Preakness, Musket Man held off Guam Typhoon to win the Super Stakes at Tampa by a neck.

Musket Man, who is 6-for-9 lifetime, also won the Illinois Derby and was third in the Kentucky Derby last year.

Quality Road endured a rocky 3-year-old season but looks to be well on his way to a solid 4-year-old campaign. He'll try to affirm that progress Saturday in the Grade I Donn Handicap at Gulfstream Park, the first major race of the year for older horses.

Quality Road won the Fountain of Youth and Florida Derby at Gulfstream in the spring, then missed the Triple Crown with quarter cracks. Transferred to trainer Todd Pletcher, he returned to set a track record in the Amsterdam at Saratoga, but then ran third in the Travers and Jockey Club Gold Cup while behaving poorly at the gate each time. Entered in the Breeders' Cup Classic, he refused to enter the gate and then panicked while blindfolded, requiring him to be scratched. Following extensive gate schooling with former NYRA starter Bob Duncan, he returned for a workmanlike and well-behaved score in the Grade III Hal's Hope on Gulfstream's opening day and appears poised to move forward from here. The son of Elusive Quality drew the four for the nine furlong contest under regular rider Johnny Velazquez and will go off the favorite. He carries highweight of 123, giving between six to 10 pounds to his nine rivals.

Several other horses who have performed well at Gulfstream in recent weeks will return here. You and I Forever challenged Quality Road around the far turn in the Hal's Hope before his rival pulled away. The son of standout filly You returns here and will break from the two under Elvis Trujillo for trainer Marty Wolfson. Duke of Mischief, who leaves from three under Eibar Coa, rallied from the back to catch Kiss The Kid by a neck in the Fort Lauderdale here last month. Kiss The Kid is also back and drew the rail under Eddie Castro. Mambo Meister (Kent Desormeaux, post 8) was third in the Fort Lauderdale; Dry Martini (Javier Castellano, post 5), who also won the Suburban last summer at Belmont, was fourth.

Multiple graded-placed Past the Point (Edgar Prado, post 6), Helsinki (Robby Albarado, post 7), Dubai Gold (Jose Lezcano, post 9) and the veteran campaigner Delightful Kiss (Juan Levya, post 10) complete the field.

Also on the Gulfstream card is the Grade I Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap at nine furlongs. Court Vision leaves from the five under Albarado for trainer Rick Dutrow. The multiple Grade I winner has earned over $1.5 million and took the Shadwell Mile last fall; he hasn't started since finishing a good fourth in the Breeders' Cup Mile. Take the Points breaks from the five under Prado for Pletcher. He enjoyed a solid 3-year-old campaign once moved to the lawn last summer, winning the Grade I Secretariat and Jamacia. But most recently he was off the board in the Hollywood Derby.

Lady Shakespeare, a full sister to multiple Grade I winner Shakespeare, headlines the Grade III Suwanee River Stakes. The filly won the Ontario Colleen last year and finished second in the Marshua's River here last time out.

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The speedy Eightyfiveinafifty looks to take a step up in class and see if he can get on the Triple Crown trail in Aqueduct's Whirlaway Stakes, the first of New York's preps leading up to the Wood Memorial. He's the clear standout in a field of six for the mile and a sixteenth race, his first try around two turns. The son of Forest Camp drew attention by blitzing his way to a 17 1/2 maiden win here last month, finishing in 1:10.85 for six furlongs. The colt, who was third in his career debut at Saratoga last summer, has worked sharply for this. There's no doubt he will be out front early and ensure an honest pace, but the question is how far he can carry his speed.

Pletcher sends out Three Day Rush, winner of the Monmouth Park NATC Futurity and most recently, a Gulfstream allowance. He leaves from the five under David Cohen, who's enjoying a successful inner track meet.

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Two solid horses are looking to return to their past form as older campaigners go a mile and a sixteenth in the Essex Handicap at Oaklawn. Jonesboro, who has earned over $1.4 million, drew the rail and is the highweight at 120. The multiple graded winner likes this track; he won the Essex three years ago, the Razorback two years ago and was this in the Oaklawn Handicap last year. But most recently, he finished last in the Ack Ack. Abel Castellano rides today.

Win Willy was expected to make some noise on the Triple Crown trail last year - he won the Rebel here, handing multiple stakeswinner Old Fashioned his first loss, then was fourth in the Arkansas Derby (behind San Fernando winner Papa Clem, Old Fashioned and champion Summer Bird). However, he was injured training Derby week and laid off for several months. He has a win and a third in three starts back, with that win coming at Oaklawn in an optional event last time out. Cliff Berry is in the irons.

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Santa Anita was scheduled to run a card with three graded stakes - the Grade I Las Virgenes and the Grade II Strub and Robert B. Lewis. But heavy rain in the Arcadia area and poor drainage led to the cancellation of live racing for Saturday. The track has struggled with poor drainage as California has experienced heavy rains this winter; several weeks ago, Santa Anita lost nearly a week of racing to the weather.

A pair of impressive maiden winners on Aqueduct's inner track in January will look to jump up into stakes company next time out in hopes of finding themselves on the Derby trail.

The speedy Eightyfiveinafifty heads the list of nominations for the Feb. 6 Whirlaway Stakes at Aqueduct. The mile and a sixteenth race leads into the Grade III Gotham Stakes on March 6 before New York's major Derby prep, the Wood Memorial on April 3.

The son of Forest Camp blitzed his way to a 17 1/4 length maiden win on Jan. 9, stopping the clock in 1:10.85 for six furlongs while under wraps late. His ability to go a distance is in question - he hasn't been around two turns yet - but trainer Gary Contessa is attempting to address that issue in the mornings. On Wednesday, he sent Eightyfiveinafifty out for a seven furlong breeze around two turns; he covered the distance in 1:27 and galloped out the mile in 1:40.20.

Eightyfiveinafifty has made just two starts. He began his career at Saratoga last summer, where he was third in his debut behind eventual Hopeful winner Dublin.

Meanwhile, Tempted to Tapit, who broke his maiden on Jan. 18, arrived in Florida on Wednesday and is headed for the Grade III Sam Davis Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs on Feb. 13.

Trainer Steve Klesaris put blinkers on the gelding last time out and it worked, as the son of 2004 Wood Memorial winner Tapit reeled off brisk opening fractions before pulling away late to win the mile maiden event by 11 1/4.

Tempted to Tapit has the win and two seconds at Philadelphia Park in four starts. at Philadelphia in December, he finished second as Laus Deo broke his maiden; that colt went on to win the Count Fleet at Aqueduct in early January.