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Cigar Mile candidates to work over weekend Schooling sessions for Edward P. Evans' QUALITY ROAD (Elusive Quality) continue Saturday morning at Aqueduct, where the three-year-old will go through the paddock and load into the gate with jockey John Velazquez aboard as his connections ponder a start in the Cigar Mile H. (G1) on November 28. "We'll try to simulate a race scenario a little bit, and see if we can load him without incident," said Pletcher of Quality Road, who was scratched from the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) at Santa Anita on November 7 after a meltdown at the gate. "He'll breeze on Sunday, we'll see how that goes, and get with Mr. Evans and come up with a plan." Quality Road arrived back in New York on Tuesday by van, and began schooling sessions at Belmont Park the following morning under the supervision of Bob Duncan, the former starter for the New York Racing Association, who frequently works as a consultant. "I think he's handled everything since he's shipped in," Pletcher said. "He's done as well as you can hope for, but obviously this wouldn't be the way you would draw it up. He's been schooling perfect. The whole gate crew has gone out of their way, which we appreciate." Pletcher added that MUNNINGS (Speightstown), coming off a trio of third-place finishes in the Vosburgh S. (G1), King's Bishop S. (G1) and Haskell Invitational (G1), will start in the Cigar Mile whether or not Quality Road goes. "One has nothing to do with the other, really," he said. "I think Munnings gets a mile, no problem. If you look back at his Haskell at a mile and an eighth, he was right there at the eighth pole, and was just beaten by Summer Bird (Birdstone). Obviously, Rachel Alexandra (Medaglia d'Oro) was an impressive winner but I felt he held his own pretty well." Meanwhile, Rick Mettee, assistant to trainer Saeed bin Suroor, said that VINEYARD HAVEN (Lido Palace [Chi]), who won the Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash (G1) in his most recent start, may work once more for the Cigar Mile. Vineyard Haven worked six furlongs in 1:13 at Belmont Park on Thursday. "We'll see what the weather does next week. He should be spot on for this race," said Mettee, adding that a decision would be made about Forego S. (G1) winner PYRO (Pulpit), who was 10th in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1), following his scheduled work this Sunday. "If Pyro breezes good on Sunday we may take a shot in the Cigar Mile; he may run as an entry with Vineyard Haven," he said.
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