BREEDERS’ CUP
THEY SAID IT
NOVEMBER 4, 2006
“(Round Pond) went into this race better than any race I’ve had her. The
Molly Pitcher (Breeders’ Cup S. [G2]) was my fault, I made the call to put
regular shoes on her and I should have kept the glue-on shoes on her. It was my
fault and she paid the price. We’ve corrected that situation since then. She’s a
very, very nice filly with a huge heart. She’s a real winner and a real
champion.”
trainer
Michael Matz on his Distaff (G1) winner ROUND POND (Awesome Again)
“It’s racing. They were weaving in front of her like a bunch of drunks.
It was very bad luck. It was very unfortunate.”
—conditioner
Patrick Biancone on ASI SIEMPRE (El Prado [Ire]) being disqualified from second
and placed fourth in the Distaff
“She was doing good, but the horse next to me came out and knocked her off
stride real hard. I was never able to get her going again.”
—jockey Corey
Nakatani on BALLETTO (UAE) (Timber Country), who was promoted to third after
being interfered with by Asi Siempre in the stretch run
“She did it along the half-mile pole, and I decided to take a hold, and
take good care of her. It was her life, my life, and everybody’s life behind
her.”
—jockey
Jose Santos on pulling up the injured FLEET INDIAN (Indian Charlie)
“She was where she usually is. She was running good. We got on the
backside, and I asked her to switch leads, and it happened so fast. She broke
down. I don’t know what else to say.”
—jockey
Javier Castellano on PINE ISLAND (Arch), who suffered a dislocation of her left
front fetlock joint and had to be euthanized
“I was sitting in a real good spot about four or five lengths behind,
but (Aragorn) was struggling with the track. He ran as good as he did
strictly on class and because he’s got a lot of heart. The turf course was
really sandy and loose. He just wasn’t handling it at all, period.”
Nakatani on Mile (G1) runner-up ARAGORN (Ire) (Giant’s Causeway), whose
four-race winning streak was snapped
“I think it’s a hell of a success against this kind of field, and not having
run since January 1. Third! That’s great. That’s a lot of publicity for (Badge
of Silver) as a stud. I always keep my options open, and he hasn’t won a Grade 1
yet. So we may take on Discreet Cat in the Cigar Mile (G1) on November 25 (at
Aqueduct).”
—owner Ken Ramsey
on Mile third-placer BADGE OF SILVER (Silver Deputy)
“I’m disappointed. Our filly (Film Maker) ran a tremendous race, but Ouija
Board is one of the all-time greats. That’s three years in a row we’ve
tried to beat her. I thought if ever we could beat her, it would be today.
(Jockey) Edgar (Prado) gave her every chance, and if Ouija Board had been
stopped anywhere, my filly could have won. I’d like to come back again when
Ouija Board is retired.”
—trainer
Graham Motion on Filly & Mare Turf (G1) runner-up FILM MAKER (Dynaformer), who
was placing in this event for the third straight time
“Sometimes when you get beat by a filly like Ouija Board, all you’ve got to
do is tip your cap to her. She’s a superstar and sometimes you just get beat.”
—trainer Todd
Pletcher, whose Filly & Mare Turf contenders — HONEY RYDER (Lasting Approval),
WAIT A WHILE (Maria’s Mon) and QUIET ROYAL (Royal Academy) — finished third,
fourth and ninth, respectively
“When I asked (Wait a While) at the three-eighths pole, she just didn’t have
that usual turn of foot. I know she’s better than that. She’s proven herself
better than that. They’re not human, but they’re allowed to have bad days also.”
—jockey
Garrett Gomez on his trip aboard Wait a While
“Anytime you win a horse race by 10 lengths, you’re surprised. I mean,
that’s not horse racing. Things have to work right. Everything has to come
together.”
—trainer Carl
Nafzger on STREET SENSE (Street Cry [Ire]) winning the Juvenile (G1) by a
record 10 lengths
“I thought Circular Quay ran a huge race. He dropped way back and
circled the field. He was just second best. The winner ran a blinder obviously,
but Circular Quay ran a big race. Scat Daddy was maybe a bit close to the pace,
but ran on pretty well to finish fourth. King of the Roxy just lacks a little
experience.”
—Pletcher on his three Juvenile starters — CIRCULAR QUAY (Thunder Gulch) (2nd),
SCAT DADDY (Johannesburg) (4th), KING OF THE ROXY (Littleexpectations) (8th)
“I’m happy. I’m very happy. He made a terrific move for us on the turn
and I thought he might have a chance to win it, but we got beat on the square
and my horse did his best. I have no complaints. I’m happy.”
—trainer Doug
O’Neill on GREAT HUNTER (Aptitude) running third in the Juvenile
“You know, it wasn’t that long ago that this was so far-fetched to be
thinking we would be here, you know. He ran his eyeballs out in Dubai (second in the
Golden Shaheen [UAE-G1]) and came out of it a pretty tired horse and pretty body
sore. Basically there was nothing major wrong with him, but just to give him
time. We don’t really look like brain surgeons, but I think we did a good job of
getting him here and (are) just very, very happy.”
—O’Neill after
THOR’S ECHO (Swiss Yodeler) won the Sprint (G1)
“If Henny Hughes would have run his race, he would have been
very tough to beat. Hopefully, Henny Hughes came out of it fine and somewhere down
the road we can hook up again and see what happens.”
—O’Neill
“He never took to the track at any time. After the first three jumps, I
knew we were in trouble. He just kept spinning his wheels. At one point, his
hips were sideways. He just kept spinning, spinning and spinning.”
—jockey
John Velazquez on 8-5 Sprint favorite HENNY HUGHES’ (Hennessy) uncharacteristic last-place
finish
“I thought I was a winner when I came to (Dreaming of Anna), but that filly
had another gear and my filly (Octave) tired a bit going two turns for the first
time.”
—Gomez’s review
of OCTAVE’s (Unbridled’s Song) runner-up effort in the Juvenile Fillies (G1)
“Both mine got their trips, but it looked like a race where four or five
fillies would show speed, but basically one filly walked the dog on the lead. A
quality filly running soft fractions is hard to run down.”
—Pletcher’s
summation of the Juvenile Fillies, in which he sent out Octave and third-placer
COTTON BLOSSOM (Broken Vow)