BREEDERS’ CUP THEY SAID IT
OCTOBER 22, 2008
“This horse can do anything. He is adjustable to any situation.”
—racing
manager Nobutaka Tada on getting post 2 with the unbeaten CASINO DRIVE
(Mineshaft) in the Classic (G1)
“He’s doing well, he looks good, he’s feeling well, and I think he’s spitting
fire.”
—Sue Casner, co-owner
of COLONEL JOHN (Tiznow), on the state of the Travers S. (G1) winner heading
into the Classic
“The strategy is simple — we’re going to the front.”
—Todd Pletcher when
asked about race strategy for FAIRBANKS (Giant’s Causeway) in the Classic
“I wouldn’t be running in the Classic if it was still on the dirt. The
problem with the dirt is not the surface you’re going on, it’s the kickback.
European horses have never, ever, ever suffered kickback in their face. With
this, I think it’s a level playing field. It also makes it incredibly exciting
because the top horses from all around the world can come together and meet.
You’re not going to find a dirt or a turf champion, but you’re going to find a
champion. I think that makes it truly exciting. It’s bringing together the
breed, really.”
—John
Gosden on the decision to enter RAVEN’S PASS (Elusive Quality) in the Classic; a
superb winner of the Queen Elizabeth II S. (Eng-G1) last out at Ascot, the
sophomore colt will make his first start past a mile in Saturday’s 1 1/4-mile
event
“I think he’s a superb horse. I love the way he travels in a race. I love the
way he won his trial in the Dubai World Cup (UAE-G1). He’s a very, very superior
mile-and-a-quarter, old and tough horse. He sets the benchmark and he would hold
his own in most generations. He’s a fabulous horse. I think it’s so exciting.
Someone has got to come and take him on. We can’t all be wimps and hide. It’s
great to take him on. And he’s going into a little unknown territory (on the
Pro-Ride). They say he breezed brilliantly around here the other day. He’s a
machine. He’ll probably go on anything.”
—Gosden
on reigning Horse of the Year and defending Classic hero CURLIN (Smart Strike)
“His race here in the Santa Anita Handicap (G1) was good. Imagine if he wins
that race. He’s already got a Grade 1 win on the grass, so if he wins one he’s
worth a fortune. He’s the best bred horse in America. He’s a half-brother to
four Grade 1 winners and his full brother (Dansili [GB]) is one of the top sires
in Europe. If the turf here might have been soft, I could have thought about
running him in the Turf (G1), but that course is nothing but hard and the
Classic is a good fit for him. He handles this track good and I’m thinking the
blinkers might move him up, get him more focused. If he gets the good trip and
we get a little lucky, good things can happen.”
—Bobby Frankel on why
he selected the Classic for accomplished turf runner CHAMPS ELYSEES (GB) (Danehill);
the half-brother to Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1) winners Banks Hill (GB)
and Intercontinental (GB) recorded a fast-finishing third in Big ‘Cap in March
over the old Cushion Track at Santa Anita; he’ll make his second non-turf start
on Saturday
“The 12 post is OK for him. You might be concerned about him breaking out
from the outside, but they’ve got a mile-and-a-quarter and he should be fine.”
—Frankel when asked
about Champs Elysees breaking from post 12
“He likes the (synthetic tracks), and he’s also matured over time and he’s
probably a better horse now. I guess he’s able to propel himself well over it.
Sometimes you can’t explain it. He’s also won a million dollar race on the turf
(2006 Virginia Derby), so I guess we really couldn’t say he doesn’t like the
turf. His only start on dirt was disappointing on a wet track (in the 2005
Pilgrim S. which came off the turf).”
—Bill
Mott when asked about GO BETWEEN’s (Point Given) proficiency on synthetic
tracks; the five-year-old horse became a top-class performer in the Southern
California handicap division this year and will enter the Classic off a victory
in the Pacific Classic (G1)
“Obviously, it’s a thrill for us, the connections, but I don’t want people to
think that’s just the reason we’re doing it. We are doing it because we think
he’s got a legitimate shot, and we’ve had (a shot) every year (we’ve
participated). It’s remarkable for this horse that he’s still running at that
level.”
—Graham
Motion on BETTER TALK NOW (Talkin Man), who will be making a record-tying fifth
Breeders’ Cup appearance when he starts in Saturday’s $3 million Turf; the
nine-year-old gelding captured the 2004 edition at Lone Star and finished second
in 2006 at Churchill
“I had three others that I was planning to come here with and things didn’t
turn out that way. We were lucky that we had backup with this horse. We didn’t
think we were on target for the Breeders’ Cup, but his last one showed that he
was. So we were able to switch plans.”
—Michael de Kock on
Turf runner EAGLE MOUNTAIN (GB) (Rock of Gibraltar [Ire]), who earned a trip
from England to the Breeders’ Cup with his victory in the Joel S. (Eng-G3) at
Newmarket on October 3; that was the four-year-old’s lone start so far in 2008
“I like her chances Friday and I like her post (6). There won’t be any
excuses there. I just don’t want her on the lead. I guess I’m going to have to
talk to the kid (Rafael Bejarano) about that. You think he’d know that by now;
he’s ridden her 16 times. But last race (Beldame S. [G1] at Belmont Park), he
was sending her to the front and she got beat. Sometimes they (riders) need
reminding. If she can stalk, if she has something to run at and can accelerate
late, she runs her best race.”
—Frankel
on 2007 Distaff (G1) champion GINGER
PUNCH (Awesome Again), who will defend her title Friday from post 6 in the
renamed Ladies Classic
“She doesn’t like the synthetics as much as she likes dirt. But this surface
is supposed to be 87 percent dirt, so it’s kind of like a dirt track. No matter
where she is, she always runs well.”
—Denny
Ward, assistant to Jerry Hollendorfer, on Ladies Classic runner HYSTERICALADY
(Distorted Humor), who finished second by a neck in the 2007 Distaff in the slop
at Monmouth Park
“I was confident with him early in the week last year, but once that weather
hit, it was impossible for anyone to feel secure about their chances. Running
over that soggy course, we had no idea that he’d like it as well as he did. I’m
a horse for course guy and we know he loves it here. He knows how to adapt. He
puts himself right out there. He knows what to do and loves being a racehorse.
He and Cornelio (jockey Velasquez) have a way of finding a groove. When they
turned for home last year at Monmouth, there was some daylight for Kip, and the
horse went after it. The jock didn’t have to ask him to get there.”
—a confident Richard
Dutrow on KIP DEVILLE (Kipling), who will defend his Mile (G1) title from post 2
on Saturday; the five-year-old horse captured the 2007 Frank E. Kilroe Mile H.
(G1) and 2006 Sir Beaufort S. (G3) over the turf at Santa Anita
“I’m afraid to give a rider specific instructions. The day you do is the day
that something always goes wrong. If I tell him to take a hold Saturday and
Fatal Bullet (Red Bullet) gets left, then there he is with a hold on our horse
looking around for the other one and he’s not there. You’ve got to trust them to
do the right thing as the race unfolds.”
—Brian
Koriner on any race strategy he’ll give jockey Clinton Potts aboard BLACK
SEVENTEEN (Is It True) in the Sprint (G1); the speedy four-year-old has won most
of his races on the lead, but he sat close to the pace before seizing command in
the Vosburgh S. (G1) last out
“He just loved Del Mar and set a track record (on Polytrack) down there for
six furlongs. He was lightly raced for a five-year-old, but he always seemed to
run a good race and was stakes-placed, so we thought we’d take a chance.”
—John Sadler on
claiming Sprint contender COST OF FREEDOM (Cee’s Tizzy) for $50,000 early in the
recent Del Mar meet; the gelding won his first start for Sadler over allowance
rivals and will enter the Sprint off a victory in the September 27 Ancient Title
S. (G1) at Santa Anita
“I shouldn’t have to tell that kid anything. The post is all right. In
sprints you just don’t want to draw that one hole. I’ve had too many good horses
get beat out of the one hole. You don’t have any choice from there. You only
have one way to go. If you’re outside, you can make decisions; you can send, you
can wait, you can take back. But inside there’s a good chance you might be in
trouble.”
—Frankel
on any advice he’ll give jockey Javier Castellano on FIRST DEFENCE (Unbridled’s
Song) in the Sprint; the Forego S. (G1) winner will break from post 5 in the
nine-horse field
“Desire makes horses just like it makes people. Desire is one thing we know
he’s got. Put something in front of him and he goes after it. He looked like he
was going to run fourth in the Pilgrim (G3), but he really surged that last two
jumps and got up (to win). That’s heart. We need to find out what he is. Maybe
it turns out that he’s just a grass horse. We should know a little more after
Saturday.”
—Brian Koriner on
ELUSIVE BLUFF (Elusive Quality), who will switch to the Pro-Ride in the Juvenile
(G1) off his victory in the grassy Pilgrim at Belmont Park; he’s won both career
starts on turf
“All you do from now until Friday is hold your breath until you turn blue.”
—Christopher
Paasch on the pressure of waiting for the Juvenile Fillies (G1) with Oak Leaf
(G1) and Del Mar Debutante (G1) winner STARDOM BOUND (Tapit), who is listed as
the prohibitive 2-1 favorite on the morning line
“She was hitting the gates too quick in Europe. The difference between
European racing and American racing is that you want to hit them quick here.
Sometimes a horse with a lot of speed, we try to get them to slow down because
if they hit it quick, they’re in front. We were probably trying to slow her down
a little bit. We’ll be very happy if she doesn’t break in front. In an ideal
world, we’d prefer her to be breaking a little bit behind. She is a filly with a
lot of speed and we’re not sure whether she can get a mile or not. Johnny
(Murtagh) will ride patiently and we’ll see what happens.”
—Aidan O’Brien on the
speedy HEART SHAPED (Storm Cat), who will stretch out to a mile for the Juvenile
Fillies Turf