Update on Quality Road and his Road Trip back East.

Quality Road, the colt that broke through the starting gate at the Breeders Cup ended up with quite a set of scrapes and bruises including stitches, a laceration and big bruise over one eye, and a large hemotoma on his leg. He also almost knocked out one of his teeth.

But his physical wounds seem to be only half of the story. Quality Road seems to be been traumatized by the event as well. When his handlers tried to load him on a plane for the flight home to Belmont, the colt refused to board. He didn't throw a tantrum like he had in the starting gate, but he made it clear that he wasn't getting on that plane.

Instead, Quality Road is going on a road trip. He's riding in style in a double stall first to Churchill Downs, then after a 48 hour layover, back to Belmont Park.

Quality Road has a history of problems with starting gates. The colt is large -- 17 hands -- and there is speculation that he feels claustrophobic in the confines of the gate (which were designed for much smaller horses). Perhaps getting on a plane also felt like too small a space.

One thing is certain: Quality Road is a smart horse that has figured out that force won't work. Now his trainer must find a way to make the talented colt want play the racing game. A horse that won't go in the starting gate, or who uses too much of his energy up before the race, won't be winning too many more stakes races.