Gary Barber and Kinsman Stable’s Strong Quality took the lead out of the gate and never trailed in posting a 1 1/4-length victory over Point Me By to win Thursday afternoon’s featured $120,000 Calumet Purse for 4-year-olds and up. (Click here for a video of the race.)

Trained by Mark Casse and ridden by Florent Geroux, Strong Quality covered the 1 1/16 miles on a turf course rated as good in 1:41.43. 

Coming off a victory in his grass debut in February at Gulfstream Park, Strong Quality improved his record to 10-3-4-2 and increased his earnings to $248,915 with Thursday’s $68,820 check. 

Strong Quality is a 4-year-old Kentucky-bred son of Quality Road out of the Tiznow mare Tiz So Sweet. 

Sent off as the second choice in the field of 11, Strong Quality returned $7.56, $4.46 and $3.80. Point Me By, who chased the winner the entire race from second, returned $11.86 and $7.18 under Tyler Gaffalione with Cowboy Justice (GB) finishing third and paying $14.60 under James Graham. Favored Verbal was fourth. 

*************************

Racing continues Friday with a 10-race program beginning at 1 p.m. ET. The card is headlined by the $600,000 Maker’s Mark Mile (G1) featuring champion and two-time Breeders’ Cup winner Modern Games (IRE). The Maker’s Mark Mile is the afternoon’s ninth race with a 5:16 p.m. post time.