BREEDERS’ CUP
THEY SAID IT
OCTOBER 27, 2007
“It’s an amazing feeling. Growing up in racing, it’s extremely emotional to
have witnessed great horses run in time and to be this close to one and to be
this part of a horse of this ability is a lifelong dream.”
—trainer
Steve Asmussen winning the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) on Saturday with now
probable Horse of the Year CURLIN (Smart Strike)
“It was definitely my biggest concern. Curlin is an amazing animal and you’re
just not looking for more variables. We’re not looking for excuses and I wanted
a chance to show who we are. With all of the rain setting in and the slick
conditions, just not something that we had been able to — he had never
encountered that. He obviously went for it well.”
—Asmussen
on how he thought Curlin would handle the sloppy conditions at Monmouth
“The three horses I think of as Hard Spun, Curlin and Street Sense, of
course, and watching them all year, you’re not really surprised. They never
looked weak. They looked sound, they looked strong and they looked fast. Every
time you saw them, you expected them to show up. I think these three horses are
better. That’s what makes the difference. They are better than the rest.”
—Asmussen
commenting on Curlin’s crop
“I tell you what, Steve had a lot to do with this today, this victory because
not only did he prepare (Curlin) properly and get him at his best; he instilled
a lot of confidence in me coming into the day and he helped me ride him with a
lot of confidence. He told me to be patient and when you call on him, he’ll be
there for you.”
—jockey
Robby Albarado after his winning ride aboard Curlin in the Classic
“Entering the final turn there, he was kind of picking off horses pretty easy
within himself. And Street Sense was alongside of me at the same pace. Then he
sort of dropped Street Sense off at one point, and Hard Spun was in front of me.
Curlin found this extra, I knew it was there and he knows it’s there and he just
found that extra burst that we needed to just push away and draw away from them.
The first thought that ran through my mind at the five-sixteenths pole was the
Arkansas Derby (G2) because that’s how he felt, that acceleration and he could
go on and beat them pretty easy. He came back, wasn’t stressed and was as calm
as possible, like the normal Curlin every day.”
—Albarado on Curlin’s
stretch run
“This is one of the best generations I’ve ever seen, and I’ve been watching
racing since 1939. This generation of horses and the competition and quality of
Hard Spun, Any Given Saturday, Street Sense, Lawyer Ron and on and on, Awesome
Gem, those horses are exceptional. So he’s a champion of champions. They are all
good. They are all exceptional. I’m not sure what we’ll do but I’m sure Robby
would want to ride him if we decide to.”
—co-owner
Jess Jackson on Curlin’s generation
“There’s an inner quarrel with me. Inside cerebrally, I’m saying, here is a
horse that can help change the direction of breeding in America, maybe the
world. For stamina, size, coupled with the speed he has and the power, and he’s
learning to be more graceful on the turns; he is an exceptional horse. So on the
one part I’m saying, as a breeder, I’d love to have the American breed grade
upward with distance, durability, power and speed that Curlin represents. On the
other hand, I’m a racing fan. I’ve always been a handicapper. I love to see the
tried and true come back and back and back. For one thing, I hope, my vote will
be we’ll never geld him. And so he won’t be a John Henry or some other greats
of that era. But at the same time, I’d love to see him race again. We’ll see
what happens. It is a financial game. But there’s a lot of heart in it by the
people you’re looking at up here.”
—Jackson
on Curlin’s future
“These athletes are at the top of their form. They are the fastest of their
skill set and their breed. They are all-out, all the time. When you ask them,
they deliver. That’s why I made the point about breeding earlier, I think that
we have to breed more stamina and durability and distance in our horses and I
think Curlin represents that. I hope that we can change the Thoroughbred
industry for the better because I’ve seen over the last 50 years, horses become
more fragile. I think with Polytrack now and breeding, we can improve the
breeding and bring them back to the days of the Seabiscuits and all of the great
Northern Dancers, etc., of the world, that kept running and running, every three
weeks, and perform for us without breakdowns. I think the injury is sad, but I
think it’s something that we can overcome with good breeding, and I hope we do
as an industry. “
—Jackson
remarking on GEORGE WASHINGTON’s (Ire) (Danehill) fatal injury in the stretch of
the Classic
“I want to just touch on the fact that the owners of Hard Spun, Street Sense,
Lawyer Ron, obviously Any Given Saturday, we’re all friends and we’ve been kind
of rooting for each other. The commentary is if you don’t win, I hope you win
and it’s been a very high spirit that way.”
—co-owner
George Bolton on the solidarity surrounding this year’s Classic
“He ran really well. I was very pleased with his race. Once again, the
three-year-olds showed up. They’ve been doing it all year. It’s good to be a
part of it. I was really proud of (Hard Spun). After Curlin came to him, he had
another gear and started to get away from Street Sense. I’ve watched these
horses in the holding barn and Curlin looked the best.”
trainer
Larry Jones on Classic runner-up HARD SPUN (Danzig) and this year’s sophomores
in general
“The plan was to stay back and make that one late run. With the track playing
the way it was, it was tremendous for him to get third. We were just warming up
for Santa Anita. We’ll win it next year.”
conditioner
Craig Dollase on AWESOME GEM’s (Awesome Again) late run to get third in the
Classic
“That’s horse racing. Everybody ran on the same track. That’s it. You run on
it. It was a great race. It was a horse race and it’s over. We got outrun.
Curlin ran a great race. He ran a fantastic race. I don’t have any excuses. I
didn’t have any going in, and don’t have any after the race.”
Nafzger on
Classic favorite and now retired STREET SENSE (Street Cry [Ire]) finishing
fourth
“He runs with his head way out there — that’s his style. This track didn’t
suit him. He was struggling from the word ‘go.’ He hated it.”
jockey
Mike Smith on Classic fifth-placer TIAGO (Pleasant Tap)
“We were in big trouble the whole way (with Lawyer Ron). He never got a hold
of the surface and struggled throughout. I knew 100 yards in that he was really
struggling with the racetrack. Johnny (Velazquez) had to ride him into position.
We’ve spent the last 13 months trying to get him to settle. It’s not his nature
not to run to the first turn. When we had to ride him into position, I knew we
were in trouble. He just never leveled off down the backside, never looked like
the Lawyer Ron I know. (Any Given Saturday) was being hard-ridden to stay up in
position. He was climbing a bit from the mud and he never really got going.”
trainer
Todd Pletcher on his two charges, LAWYER RON (Langfuhr) and ANY GIVEN SATURDAY
(Distorted Humor), failing to handle the slop in the Classic
“He didn’t like the track. It’s like he was on skates out there. He was
well placed, but he didn’t try.”
jockey
Cornelio Velasquez on DIAMOND STRIPES’ (Notebook) last place finish in the
Classic
“Thank you to Bobby (Frankel), he’s such a great trainer. He’s so smart, he
shaved her so the mud would not stick on her and now we have to be thinking on
what we need to put in our Ginger Punch to make it more spicy.”
owner Frank
Stronach after GINGER PUNCH (Awesome Again) captured the Breeders’ Cup Distaff
(G1); trainer Bobby Frankel was in California on Saturday nursing his dog Happy,
who is being treated for cancer
“We have so many and it gets very costly to nominate so many. But we nominate
maybe 20 percent of our foals, right, or 30 percent, and then with the rest, we
just take a guess and pray and hope for the best.”
Stronach
on having to supplement Ginger Punch to the Distaff
“It was a good run from her. When I came off the turn, I actually thought I
had them, but she kind of idled on me a little. I got within about two lengths
and she just flattened out on me. I had to fight my way through some spots and
take what was given to me. Every time I needed her to hit a hole, she did it.”
jockey
Garrett Gomez on Distaff third OCTAVE (Unbridled’s Song)
“I thought we had a big chance to run them down and she was trying at the
end. She just couldn’t quite get there. It took her a while to get going. She
was really climbing the first part, and that little bit of position probably
hurt her from that initial onslaught of slop hitting her in the face. She got a
beautiful trip from that point on. She was working her way up and down the first
three-eighths. Once she leveled off, she ran great.”
Pletcher on his view of Octave’s run in the Distaff
“She ran well, but she had a little trouble with the track. When I asked her,
she struggled a little bit, but she ran very hard against some of the best
fillies in the country. Hopefully, she’ll come out of the race OK and we’ll be
back next year.”
jockey
Calvin Borel on LADY JOANNE (Orientate) running fourth in the Distaff
“She ran very well. She’s just a racehorse — she always runs hard. She
wasn’t giving up today. We didn’t have any plans where we’d be, or just how the
race would set up. I wish she could have relaxed a hair more, but she got into
it pretty good.”
trainer
Carl Nafzger on Lady Joanne
“She can’t run in this stuff but we own a half-sister to Ginger Punch. It
takes some of the sting out of this blow.”
Barry
Irwin, co-owner of UNBRIDLED BELLE (Broken Vow), who ran fifth in the Distaff
“He’s a big horse and for some reason, one of his air breathing flappers
went bad, so we had tie-back surgery when he was young. The first one didn’t
hold very long. He had a second one, and it held and he had run that bad race at Keeneland, and came apart, so he didn’t run well. So we redid it, brought him
back and that’s why he was off for a while. Then he started training totally
different. He’s been a totally different horse.”
trainer
Bob Baffert on Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) winner MIDNIGHT LUTE’s (Real Quiet)
breathing problems
“You always worry about the mud, but one thing about the championship
Breeders’ Cup I’ve learned through the years, the good ones always come through.
You’d better lead a good one up there, because you’re running against the best
and they shine. Unless your horse is tailing off and I’ve brought horses here
that I probably shouldn’t have run, but you’re trying to squeeze that one more
race out of them.”
Baffert
on the sloppy conditions at Monmouth
“How that name came up was (coach Jerry) Tarkanian at Las Vegas and Lute (Olson,
coach of Arizona) was after the same kid (Tom Tolbert) from California. And it went
down to the last day. He would say he was going to Las Vegas, he would say he
was going to Arizona. And right at the last minute and the last day, Lute got
the kid and he signed with Arizona.”
co-owner Paul
Weitman explains Midnight Lute’s name, which refers to famed basketball coach
Lute Olson’s recruiting skills
“I thought he was home free. I figure he had to come back in 20 days (since
winning the Ancient Title [G1]), and he didn’t run with the little extra
‘oomph.’ I knew Baffert’s horse was training good, but I didn’t know if he would
like the mud.”
trainer Cliff
Sise Jr. on Sprint runner-up IDIOT PROOF (Benchmark)
“I knew at the half-mile pole he was done. (Jockey) Aaron (Gryder) was riding
him like he was on the front side instead of the backside. He said he never got
into the bit. I’ve got to take my hat off to the winner.”
conditioner
Greg Gilchrist on SMOKEY STOVER (Put It Back), who finished ninth in the Sprint
“He’s going to get a long rest now and we’re going to do everything we
can come (Kentucky) Derby Day that he get that mile and a quarter. It will be an
interesting task, he’s a very talented horse and we’ll just do the best we can.”
trainer Nick Zito
on Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) winner WAR PASS (Cherokee Run)
“No question, absolutely. I am superstitious.”
Zito
laughing after asked if he was glad Street Sense (Street Cry [Ire]) had taken
care of the so-called Juvenile-Derby jinx
“I always say it’s like the mini-Derby, this race. So far we’ve got a
mini-Derby. We’ve got to get a big Derby.”
Zito
“I would have to say as good as everything I’ve ever had my hands on
because he’s undefeated. He just keeps getting better. He has tons and tons of
talent. I’d have to say, he’s as good as anything I’ve ever touched.”
Zito when asked
to compare War Pass to other horses he’s trained
“Well, you know, it’s a system that we have. We buy a lot of yearlings.
We evaluate them and send them the forms. Then we put a price on them. If
someone is willing to pay the price, we’ll do it. But once they get to the
tracks, once they prove they are racehorses, we don’t sell them. We are here to
race.”
War Pass’ owner
Robert Lapenta, who had entered the juvenile in a sale before withdrawing him
when some ankle chips were discovered
“I am very, very happy. He ran a tremendous race. He improved dramatically
from his last race, and he got beat today by a very good horse (English
Channel).”
trainer Angel
Penna Jr. on SHAMDINAN’s (Fr) (Dr Fong) runner-up effort in the Turf (G1)
“He was down on the inside and (jockey Frankie Dettori) said the ground was
really bad there. When he pulled him outside to make his run up the straight, he
picked up really well, but it was too late then. He said he needed to be on the
better ground. I’m really proud of him. He tried all right. He always tries.”
horseman Brian
Meehan describes defending Turf champion RED ROCKS’ (Ire) (Galileo [Ire])
third-place finish
“He does that (fights going in the gate) every single time — he
always throws a little fit. Getting near the half-mile pole, I was gaining on
Dylan Thomas and Red Rocks. Getting to the three-eighths, I saw it was going to
take more than he was giving me. The winner (English Channel) kept running right
along.”
jockey Ramon
Dominguez sums up Turf fourth-placer BETTER TALK NOW (Talkin Man), who had to be
coaxed and prodded into the gate
“He got the trip I expected, but he just labored in the ground.
I’d say the ground beat him. He’s such a lovely actioned horse that he likes
firmer ground. But we were here and I thought they (owners) were very sporting
to let him run.”
trainer Aidan
O’Brien diagnoses the difficulties of DYLAN THOMAS (Ire) (Danehill), who
struggled home in fifth as the 4-5 favorite in the Turf
“It would be remiss not to mention that the Coolmore horse (Dylan Thomas)
really didn’t handle the track today. That horse is a true champion, and this is
what happens when we have some weather like this. It does penalize some horses.
Fortunately, it did not penalize English Channel. I would not beat (Dylan
Thomas) in France with those courses up and down. He was on my home court
today.”
a very
magnanimous James Scatuorchio, owner of English Channel, tips his hat to Dylan
Thomas in defeat
“He handled the course okay. I followed Johnny Velazquez (on
Nobiz Like Shobiz) and I liked where I was. When we made the straight, he lugged
in a little bit on me, but I got him straightened away, and he went on with his
running. It was a good effort.”
jockey Johnny
Murtagh recounts his ride aboard Mile (G1) runner-up EXCELLENT ART (GB)
(Pivotal)
“He’s a good or fast ground horse. He was drawn very badly but he ran a great
race. Johnny (Murtagh) gave him a very good ride, but he was drawn outside, so
he had to let the race unfold, but he was closing, closing, closing at the end.
There might be a race for him in Hong Kong or Japan.”
O’Brien
expresses his satisfaction with Excellent Art’s late run
“We got into good position where we were comfortable and he made a nice move
from the three-eighths to the quarter-pole, but they just didn’t stop at all.
They were too tough for him.”
Velazquez on
NOBIZ LIKE SHOBIZ (Albert the Great), who finished fourth in the Mile
“The jockey (Velazquez) said he didn’t handle the going. In a
race like this you don’t know what you’re going to get. He’s run good on hard
courses, and he’s still only three years old.”
horseman Barclay
Tagg’s view of Nobiz Like Shobiz
“My horse just could not get hold of this ground.”
Penna cites a
familiar reason for the seventh-place effort of REMARKABLE NEWS (Ven) (Chayim)
in the Mile
“He took Frankie (Dettori) to the turn really well but he’s a miler and just
doesn’t get home (have the stamina) on that ground. My crew said from the
beginning that he wouldn’t like that ground at all.”
Coral
Pritchard-Gordon, of the Sir Michael Stoute team, joined the chorus when
chalking up JEREMY’s (Danehill Dancer) 10th in the Mile
“He’s very seldom ever wrong. He knows his horses and he knows the game, so
when he says something, you listen.”
Shadwell manager
Rick Nichols on the acumen of Sheikh Hamdan, whose faith in LAHUDOOD (GB)
(Singspiel [Ire]) was rewarded with an upset victory in the Filly & Mare Turf
(G1)
“No boundaries.”
Nichols
translates the meaning of the word “Lahudood”
“She ran awesome. We had a perfect trip. We were behind the group inside. I
tried to follow Ramon Dominguez (on Passage of Time). We were carried wide at
the three-eighths pole, and the other horse (Lahudood) cut the corner.”
Velazquez
was proud of Filly & Mare Turf runner-up HONEY RYDER (Lasting Approval)
“That was a very weird race from the get-go. The winner (Lahudood) had
trouble and had to check two or three times. I had a very, very clean trip
though, although in the first turn, somebody (Simply Perfect) just bolted. I was
on the inside and unaffected. Coming down the stretch, she had no big kick.”
Dominguez,
who rode third-placer PASSAGE OF TIME (GB) (Dansili [GB]), gives his colorful
commentary on the Filly & Mare Turf
“I thought at one stage she might get there, but just didn’t
seem to quicken up. She was laboring a bit, but she was going well. She just
didn’t handle it (soft ground) as well as she should have. It may be the time of
year.”
horseman Henry
Cecil on Passage of Time
“I was down inside and it was rough in there. She was bobbling and she had
horses backing up into her. The horse on the lead (Argentina [Ire]) went forward
and then came back, and we had all kind of problems with that. Even though she
had that trouble, she was trying real hard at the finish. She’s got a great big
heart.
jockey Joe Talamo
explains the trip aboard NASHOBA’S KEY (Silver Hawk), who suffered her first
career loss when fourth in the Filly & Mare Turf
“She was trapped down on the inside and never could get out until it was too
late. She made up ground, but she wasn’t able to get to the winner. She galloped
out past the winner. Turf racing is always difficult. I thought she’d be placed
more forwardly than she was. Things happen.”
trainer Carla
Gaines sounds a what-might-have-been note for Nashoba’s Key
“I didn’t have any trouble with equipment and it wasn’t that she couldn’t
handle the turns. She was just lost out there. She came in here a few days ago
and now she’s going back out. She just wants to go home.”
Murtagh tries to
demystify why SIMPLY PERFECT (GB) (Danehill) bolted on the second turn of the
Filly & Mare Turf
“I have no idea what happened. She’s never done that before.”
horseman Jeremy
Noseda remains mystified by Simply Perfect’s behavior
“She ran well. I think we just ran into buzz saw. That filly (Indian
Blessing) sure looked good. I was very proud of our horse. The jockey (Gabriel
Saez) just put her in a wonderful spot, saved ground around that turn, and got
her out into what should the be the fast going. We just got beat by a better
horse today.”
Jones makes no
excuses for PROUD SPELL (Proud Citizen), who finished second in the Juvenile
Fillies (G1)
“She stumbled a little bit at the start and then she got shuffled back and
got all that mud thrown back in her face. To pick up the bridle at the
six-furlong mark showed a lot of heart on her part. We were hoping they would
come back a little, but the winner is something special. We tried to cut into
the margin, but she just couldn’t get there.”
Patrick Reynolds,
trainer of Juvenile Fillies third BACKSEAT RHYTHM (El Corredor), likewise
praises the winner
“We got some money and we had some fun. What’s 2.5 percent
($50,000)? We’ll take it.”
trainer Doris
Harwood celebrates the positive aspects of SMARTY DEB’s (Smart Strike)
fifth-place finish in the Juvenile Fillies
“The trip was fine. She really couldn’t get with the racetrack. When I asked
for something, there wasn’t anything there.”
jockey Victor
Espinoza renders a verdict on Juvenile Fillies runner IZARRA (Distorted Humor),
who checked in 10th
“It was the slop. He (jockey Eibar Coa) saw that going down the backside she
wasn’t getting into it. He took good care of her after the half-mile pole. She
might be a sprinter, but the track was certainly the culprit today.”
conditioner Rick
Violette on PHANTOM INCOME (Montbrook), who crossed the wire last of 13 in the
Juvenile Fillies