Florida Derby-Fountain of Youth winner Quality Road reopened the argument that he may be the fastest his horse of his generation with a resounding return to the races last Monday, taking Saratoga’s Amsterdam Stakes in track-record time.

            Quality Road finished the 6½-race in 1:13.74, eliminating Topsider’s standard, which had stood for two days and 30 years.

            Coming out of a track-record sprint and into a major, two-turn race at Saratoga has been successfully done before: Onion lowered the 6½-furlong standard (1:15 1/5) in 1973, back when there was Tuesday racing. Four days later he upset Secretariat in the Whitney.

            Edward P. Evans owns Quality Road, who, like Secretariat, is a Virginia-bred. Regular rider Johnny Velazquez was retained by new trainer Todd Pletcher. Jimmy Jerkens was the colt’s trainer for his Gulfstream Park triumphs, both of which came in brilliant time: Quality Road ran the one-mile Fountain of Youth in 1:35.01 and the 1 1/8-mile Florida Derby in 1:47.72.

            Brittle feet kept Quality Road out of the Triple Crown races but his performance last Monday opened the door to a clash with                           
Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird, Preakness victress Rachel Alexandra and Belmont winner Summer Bird in the Aug. 29 Travers Stakes at Saratoga.

            Chasing Quality Road home last Monday was Capt. Candyman Can, who had won three of his last four races, including the Hutcheson Stakes at Gulfstream. His only defeat in that span came when he ran fourth in Quality Road’s Fountain of Youth. Capt. Candyman Can was 2½ lengths behind the winner.