Kentucky Derby On The Record

"He's a professional race horse. He's a pleasure. He ran his race today, just like he always does. We'll look at the (seven-furlong, $500,000) Woody Stephens (GII) on Belmont Day (June 6) for him next."

Assistant trainer Scott Blasi after Cinco Charlie won the inaugural William Walker S. at Churchill Downs

"No special instructions. The man (assistant trainer Scott Blasi) just said 'Good luck'. We had it and he ran his race."

Jockey Ricardo Santana, Jr. on William Walker S. hero Cinco Charlie

"He ran well. The race set up well for him and he came running at the end but he was just second best tonight."

Jockey Julien Leparoux on William Walker S. runner-up Senor Grits

"I thought he ran well for his first race off a (nearly six-month) layoff. He galloped out well. It was a tough spot to start back with the night racing and the muddy track. Hopefully this will lead to bigger things for him."

Conditioner Todd Pletcher on William Walker S. show finisher Blofeld

"I was a little concerned before the race. He was a little anxious. Not nervous but anxious. I told the pony person to keep him away from the other horses. I galloped him a little bit just to take the edge off and it worked. He seemed to be pretty relaxed after that. He broke a little sluggish but recovered right away. I tracked right behind the other horses. He didn't seem to mind the dirt too much. He didn't like it at first but he got used to it. I didn't want him to get too much dirt on him so I put him in the clear. I didn't want someone to box me in. Turning for home I was screaming bloody murder and whipping him left handed and right handed. I don't think he ever saw the horse coming on the outside, he was kind of too far away, so I put my horse close to him. Anyway, we got the job done."

Jockey Martin Pedroza after Whiskey Ticket won Hawthorne's G3 Illinois Derby

"I had to ride him a little bit just to get him going. He takes a little encouragement. He's a big kid that's still learning but at least he's going in the right direction. Not to take anything away from the winner but both horses ran hard to the end."

Jockey Shaun Bridgmohan on Illinois Derby runner-up Conquest Curlinate

"Everybody wishes for that, but I want to see how everything goes from here. The horse tells me when he's going to run next. I don't pick a race in advance until I find out how a horse is coming out of the race and how he is getting ready for the next one. He ran well today."

Owner-trainer Jose Corrales on whether Federico Tesio S. winner Bodhisattva will point to the G1 Preakness S.

"It was pretty clear with the soft fractions that we got away with one. I thought [All Hands] would go with me and I actually yelled to Fernando, 'Go on with it,' but he didn't; he took back. I said, 'Ok, this is our race. Let's go for it.' He went out there with the easy fractions and we actually re-broke at the quarter pole. I was surprised. I mean, I was going slow and thought this was a dream come true. Then, he gave me a new gear at the eighth pole. He really dug in and fought, and I hadn't seen that side of him before today."

Jockey Trevor McCarthy after Bodhisattva won Pimlico's Federico Tesio S.

"He's amazing horse. With the way he works, he's always been a professional horse from the start. We were hoping he could do something like that and he showed it today. We're so excited about him. He's matured substantially. We just worried about getting a clean break and he did, and then Victor rode him with a lot of confidence. When that other horse (Bridget's Big Luvy) got off to that lead, it was either that he's going to rate or he's going to be empty today. He's a good horse and he keeps moving forward. "

Trainer Bob Baffert after American Pharoah won Oaklawn Park's G1 Arkansas Derby

"The way this horse runs is unbelievable. I don't feel like he's running that fast and then I look back and he's so far ahead. He was doing it by himself and doing it easy."

Jockey Victor Espinoza on Arkansas Derby hero American Pharoah

"I'm very happy for the owners. They're a great group of guys. Today we saw a great race by a superhorse. Mike said that when he saw that horse kick clear he was just going to do enough to get second and he did. At that point it didn't matter if it was two lengths or 10 lengths, second is still second. We'll hope for maybe some different circumstances [in the Kentucky Derby] and just like everybody else going there we'll need some of the best luck. We certainly showed we belong."

Conditioner Ron Moquett on Arkansas Derby runner-up Far Right

"Victor was going so easy and I saw when he called on him he had plenty of horse. I knew I couldn't beat him at that point so I just rode for second and got it. I saved what we could save and we'll hope that down the road we have a different scenario and I'll have a fresh horse."

Jockey Mike Smith after on his Arkansas Derby trip aboard Far Right

"I was real pleased. We kind of put it back together today. I thought we were going to be second, and then damn, he gassed a little bit there. I put the blinkers back on and we got back to what he needed. Coming back in two weeks (from the Louisiana Derby), I think if we'd had more time we could have been a clear second. Obviously, we were not going to beat the winner. The winner is a special horse. Bob had him trained to the minute. He's special. With our horse, it's on to the (Kentucky) Derby. We picked up enough points to get in."

Trainer D. Wayne Lukas on Arkansas Derby show finisher Mr. Z

"He's a nice horse. He tried hard and really fought hard at the end. Hopefully this qualifies him for the Kentucky Derby. I'm glad the connections gave me the chance to ride him."

Jockey Ramon Vasquez on after riding Mr. Z to a third-place finish in the Arkansas Derby

"It's great to win at Keeneland - it's ever better to win a graded stakes. The horse relaxed well and was great with the (dirt) kickback, and he came with a big kick at the end. Today he was very professional and I'm glad he's learning with each start."

Conditioner Arnaud Delacour after winning the G3 Lexington S. with Divining Rod

"We knew there were a couple of horses with speed in there and we wanted to teach him something. He was very proficient and very relaxed behind. The dirt didn't bother him at all, and he finished up very strong."

Jockey Julien Leparoux on Lexington S. champ Divining Rod

"The feeling is like we've been here before; just enjoy the moment because the next race (Kentucky Derby on May 2) is going to be the one. It's good to see this horse just really developing the way he has from his first start. I just love the way he ran today. When we bought him, he looked like a really good horse, but he was just a big horse, and sometimes they don't turn out. He's a big, long-legged horse. When he made the lead and when he gets by himself like that, he'll idle on you a little bit, so he had to keep going."

Conditioner Bob Baffert on G1 Santa Anita Derby winner Dortmund

"He was really comfortable. The main thing for me today was to break well and put him in a good position. Even though he's won all his races, he's still learning. He can play around a bit but when someone comes to him, or I ask him to go, he becomes push-button and he just takes off."

Jockey Martin Garcia on unbeaten Santa Anita Derby victor Dortmund

"One Lucky Dane, he's a good horse. He showed that last time. This distance is not going to be a problem for him. He'll go to the (Kentucky) Derby. He qualified in Bob Baffert's eyes (in addition to points). I don't need 40 points. They've got to qualify in my eyes."

Baffert on One Lucky Dane's runner-up finish behind Dortmund in the Santa Anita Derby

"The horse had trained really, really well. We were excited coming into (the race) and happy to see him deliver. I've got respect for Ocho Ocho Ocho, and I think all the California horses are strong. We kind of anticipated (Ocho Ocho Ocho) might be the pacesetter. He set a :24 (first quarter-mile) and :48 (half-mile) and you don't expect to put a horse away easily with those kind of fractions. But I liked what I saw (from my horse) the last eighth of a mile."

Trainer Todd Pletcher on G1 Blue Grass S. hero Carpe Diem

"There wasn't much speed in the race. It was a nice slow pace and I didn't want to fight him very much. He was doing it pretty easy. Like Todd (Pletcher) said, 'Don't fight him, just let him do it.' Down the lane, I asked him and he responded right away. Once he gets to the lead, he wants to wait, so I have to make sure I keep his mind on running."

Jockey John Velazquez on his Blue Grass S. trip aboard Carpe Diem

"He ran a big race and with a better trip we might have been even closer. I'm just glad the real Danzig Moon showed up today and showed that he's a serious racehorse. This race is redeeming because we thought he had a big shot at Tampa (in the Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby) and he ran a bad fourth (behind winner Carpe Diem). But I think he just didn't handle the track that day and today is a better indication of his ability."

Assistant trainer Norman Casse on Danzig Moon's second-place finish in the Blue Grass S.

"This has been a top, special project for my team, my brother, the grooms. We know he has a ton of ability and the last race really made us scratch our heads, asking 'why?' Why would he go to the lead and throw his head up and stop? We did everything we could to change everything we possibly could that we thought went wrong, including the jockey, just because we were changing everything."

Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin after Frosted captured the G1 Wood Memorial

" He didn't break that sharp and I didn't really want to send him out of there and be on the lead. He was always there for me. I tried to get him to the outside, where he'd be comfortable. The whole way, he was taking me. That was a very good race. I wasn't concerned with [Tencendur] because I know when you ask [Frosted], he's always there for you."

Jockey Joel Rosario on riding Frosted to victory in the Wood Memorial

"I thought we had it turning for home and opening up, but I was watching from the ground [level] and I couldn't see what Kiaran's horse was doing. We ran big. We were happy."

Conditioner George Weaver on Tencendur's runner-up effort in the Wood Memorial

"He was running at the end. I watched him gallop out and he passed everybody. He was finishing really well but there wasn't any pace to soften up the front runners. We'll see how he is and figure it out from there. If he comes back out of this well, I think we'll get a lot stronger pace in a race like the Derby, and he can sit back and close. He's done that twice. I thought he made up a lot of ground there in the stretch."

Trainer John Terranova on Wood Memorial show finisher El Kabeir

"It shaped up the way Johnny (Velazquez) and I talked about after the previous race (Islamorada Stakes). We thought about the way it might set up, that the 2 (Jack Tripp) might show some speed, Materiality might be laying in a stalking-type position. We felt that Upstart would probably have us as his primary target, and all of that unfolded exactly like we talked about. He's a big, strong colt and he holds his weight really well. He's got a big appetite. He put forth a really good breeze a week ago so we felt like he was showing us all of the right signs. Yet you still worry about those situations when you get to the eighth pole."

Trainer Todd Pletcher after winning the G1 Florida Derby with Materiality

"We got very close (to Upstart), that's for sure. We got out a little bit further than I thought I did. I had my head down, looking over to make sure I didn't bump him. There was a little brushing, maybe, but there was no contact. I was very conscious to pull back in and you can see the two horses spread apart. He felt strong the whole way around. The way he came back like Todd said from 22 days ago.... swe hooked up at the half-mile pole--that's a lot of running."

Jockey John Velazquez on riding Materiality to victory in the Florida Derby

"I don't want to hear from the guys that say, 'Don't worry about the nine hole,' because it made all the difference. If we had (Materiality) on our hip the whole way, maybe the result would have been different. (Materiality) beat us fair and square. He is obviously a very nice horse, he comes off a really fast race and didn't regress.

Trainer Rick Violette, Jr. on Upstart's runner-up effort in the Florida Derby

"We broke good and we were right where we wanted to be. I think he ran huge. The winner is a good horse too and he proved it."

Jockey Jose Ortiz on Florida Derby second-place finisher Upstart

"He did really well today. I'm very proud of this horse. I know those two horses Upstart and Materiality were the two best horses in the race. They sprinted off and it was hard to catch up. Today he came from behind, kind of the same pace. I'm very proud of the way he did it. I think he was just third best today."

Jockey Javier Castellano on Florida Derby show finisher Ami's Flatter

"I don't know why (International Star is so good at Fair Grounds), but I think I might take some of the dirt from Fair Grounds up to Kentucky with us. We will see how he comes out of the race and decide if we'll train him like we did before this. I haven't worked him until three weeks after his races."

Conditioner Mike Maker on G2 Louisiana Derby hero International Star

"We got another good trip and had a clean run. He was the best horse in the race again today and I thank the connections for giving me the chance to ride him."

Jockey Miguel Mena on International Star's win in the G2 Louisiana Derby

"Super effort. I'm very proud of him."

Trainer Todd Pletcher on Louisiana Derby runner-up Stanford

"We had a great start and I just let him go and relax. If someone wanted to go faster than me, I would have let them, but he was very nice and relaxed on the lead and put up reasonable fractions. They came to us a little bit earlier than I thought they would, but that's racing and that's why International Star was able to run me down. He gave me a good feeling. You have to give credit to winner; he's three-for-three and a very good horse."

Jockey Florent Geroux after Stanford completed the Louisiana Derby exacta

"I was just behind the leaders and the pace was good, so I followed it into the straight. I was going very easily and as soon as I pressed the button it was all over. In the end, I kept some energy for the future, especially if he goes to the Kentucky Derby."

Jockey Christophe Soumillon after Mubtaahij won the UAE Derby at Meydan

"In his training, he's learned how to relax a lot and it paid off handsomely today. The Sunland Derby has been on a radar for a while. It is a nice ship from California. He trained well over the track and handled it well. He matured a lot in recent months."

Trainer Simon Callaghan after Firing Line won the G3 Sunland Derby

"It looked a lot simpler than it was out there. This colt handled things a lot better than I did. He makes easy work of it. He dealt with it very well. He dealt with some adversity last race when he stumbled at the start (and also lost a front shoe). This was a whole different style being pinned down on inside, having to do dirty work and then drawing away with authority at the end. He was way beyond his fourth career race as far as where he was mentally. He was battled-tested in his last two, so it was good to get an easy one into him. They're never easy for $800,000. (But) this was not a tough race on him today so all signs are good."

Jockey Gary Stevens on Sunland Derby winner Firing Line

"I thought he ran well, got a good trip for being in the 12 hole. Look at the angle from where he broke. The speed went on, and he was able to tuck in, and he had a good trip. We're going to (nominate) him (to the Triple Crown), and the horse will go right to Churchill, and he'll train there, and if he trains really good there, then we'll have a look at it (the Kentucky Derby).

Conditioner Bill Mott on G3 Spiral S. hero Dubai Sky

"I always thought he was a pretty nice horse. The first two times in New York he ran against some pretty nice horses. We always thought he would stretch out. He was never comfortable in Florida handling the heat. We worked him in blinkers in his last two breezes. Even though we worked him we weren't sure we were going to run him with them. We didn't want him to be too keen early. But Angel (Cruz) gave him a super ride."

Trainer Jeremiah Englehart after Bridget's Big Luvy won Laurel Park's Private Terms S.

"When we got to the front, we got there so easy. He was really relaxed all the way, and coming out of the last turn he just kept going. I looked back and said, 'Oh, my gosh. ' He galloped out really well. I think that he can go a longer distance. When I got to the stretch I kept waiting and waiting, and kept going and going."

Jockey Angel Cruz on winning the Private Terms S. aboard Bridget's Big Luvy

"You always hope that he's as good as he's been showing us in the mornings and he was today. His right front shoe wasn't on right, and when he can run like that all the way around with it like that, it shows you how good he is. This was the perfect kind of race on the comeback, and it's pretty exciting."

Trainer Bob Baffert on American Pharoah's G2 Rebel S. victory

"He was very impressive. He's an amazing horse. The first time I rode him, (trainer) Bob (Baffert) said he's the real deal. Bob's a Hall of Famer, so he knows. Bob was confident, so that made me confident. He is a tremendous horse. He has a lot of talent and he loves to run. This is an amazing horse."

Jockey Victor Espinoza on Rebel S. hero American Pharoah

"Coming into this race he was doing much better than he was last time. He's starting to fill out, getting stronger. As long as he stays healthy, the farther they go, he's just getting cranked up there at the end, so that was pretty exciting. He'll stay here (for the G1 Santa Anita Derby on April 4)."

Conditioner Bob Baffert on unbeaten Dortmand following his G2 San Felipe S. score

"It looks easy because he's such a good horse and when you have a horse that's good, he makes it look easy. I'm always confident because I know how good he is. I don't think there will be any difference for him when we add more distance; he can go any distance. It won't be a problem for him."

Jockey Martin Garcia on San Felipe S. winner Dortmund

"We couldn't be more pleased. Johnny (Velazquez) put him in a perfect position and he really kicked on at the top of the stretch. It was exactly what we were hoping for. He has a history of that (a reluctance to load), a little, and we will continue to work to try to get that corrected. He has a lot of (sire) Giant's Causeway) and (grandsire) Storm Cat about him; that's what makes him good. We're delighted with the way he ran today."

Trainer Todd Pletcher G2 Tampa Bay Derby hero Carpe Diem

"He was very fresh warming up and when they finally got him into the gate and I got on, he settled down. We broke very well and I took a position just where I wanted to be, right behind the leaders. He rated very well and I was able to wait with him until nearing the stretch. When I asked he came away very nicely."

Jockey John Velazquez on riding Carpe Diem to victory in the Tampa Bay Derby

"When he broke like that I thought, wow, they must be going pretty quick. I saw the half, and I was a little more comfortable, but he was still pretty far back and was taking a lot of mud. And the track had not been playing that way at all today; I had not seen any deep closers do anything. With this level of horses, sometimes you can throw out biases. He overcame a lot today; it was a big jump forward. He got everything thrown at him today and he still managed to overcome it all. It was very impressive. He's done so well here, we'd like to stay and run in the Wood. I think he thrives off the races, and training. The more you throw at him; the stronger he gets."

Conditioner John Terranova on G3 Gotham S. champ El Kabeir

"I was riding the best horse in the race. He was much easier behind horses to throttle the speed back and when I called on him going to the half-mile pole I was able to sneak through on the fence and angle him out going to the three-eighths pole. From there, when he changed leads turning for home, he just exploded. So I'm not worried about the distance any more. I think he was much better today than he was in the Jerome. In the Withers, I was still just trying to find out more about what he's about. I probably had to move a little bit earlier because I didn't want Classy Class to beat us both so maybe that took him a little out of his element, but today he showed everything we've been trying to teach him. What Simon Harris has taught him, what John [Terranova] has taught him in the mornings to gather that dirt in his face and he was just much better to ride today than he's been the last two times out."

Jockey C. C. Lopez after his Gotham victory aboard El Kabeir

"I think the addition of blinkers helped him, and it looked like he appreciated the surface. There's a nice break between this race and the Spiral, so we'll be talking with the owners and probably will come back here."

Assistant trainer Dermott Magnier John Battaglia S. champ Royal Son

"I was able to slow the pace for the first part of the race, and I had plenty of horse left in the stretch."

Jockey Rodney Prescott on riding Royal Son to victory in the John Battaglia Memorial S.

"I was just happy that he handled the surface. That was my concern. I have a lot of confidence in my horse and I was just thinking when the track was sloppy,'Well, here's something I don't know about [the horse].' A good horse overcomes the situation, and I was very proud for the horse, for the owners, and for the barn."

Trainer Ron Moquett after Far Right won the G3 Southwest S. at Oaklawn Park

"I was hoping [the rail] was opening up. We ducked down to the fence. It didn't seem like the place to be today, but he made it look good. I think he's just going keep getting better."

Jockey Mike Smith on riding Far Right to victory in the Southwest S.

"He was doing super and he ran as advertised. I wasn't worried about the post. Realistically, I thought we would wind up having an outside trip and we wound up having a trip like in the LeComte turning for home. I'm not going to change routes for him; he loves it (at Fair Grounds) and there's no reason to change course."

Conditioner Mike Maker on G2 Risen Star S. champ International Star

"The post position worried me. You never know if you can get to the rail, where he wants to be. I was impressed because I moved at the five-sixteenths-pole to get through and he came through a tight hole and then another one at the quarter-pole and kept running and drawing away. I think more distance will be no problem. He rates well, he loves the rail; it doesn't matter how tight the hole is - he goes for it. When I put him on the rail, he grabs the bit and when we come up to a tight hole, he just goes for it. Not many horses do that. The more you save, the more you're going to get. He's not much to look at it, but he has a big heart."

Jockey Miguel Mena on Risen Star S. hero International Star

"I'm disappointed that we haven't solved his problem leaving the gate. It's something we'll continue to work on and is the difference between winning and losing a race like this. When you break like that, it's such a compromising factor; your options become limited. We lost a lot of ground on the turn and were widest of all. There are a lot of encouraging things and he had a tougher trip than last time. He's not a big horse, but he shows a lot of grit. There's more to come from War Story. His next start has not been decided."

Trainer Tom Amoss on Risen Star S. runner-up War Story

"I feel bad for the connections of the other horse. He crossed the finish line first, but definitely we got impeded a bit and Luis (Saez) had to stop riding for a couple strides. I don't know how it would eventually affect the outcome. The thing I'm most proud of is for this horse to run this well in his third lifetime start, first time around two turns and first time in a stake. It was a very, very good effort. He was in between horses in a situation he hasn't been in before, so it was a big effort. He's just one of those colts who's easy to train. Everything we've asked him to do, he's stepped up and done. We've been able to train him with some nice horses and he's shown that he's capable. With his pedigree, we figured the more we stretched him out the better he'd do."

Conditioner Todd Pletcher after Itsaknockout was elevated to victory in the G2 Fountain of Youth S. via the disqualification of Upstart

"That was a tough decision. I did think (Upstart) would get taken down because he really bothered me. When we came into the stretch, I felt like my horse wanted to run so I thought we'd win the race. But the other horse came out and bothered me. I couldn't ride my horse. He's a little better on the outside. Today there was a little speed outside of us so we had to play with that. At the three-eighths he really responded."

Jockey Luis Saez on his trip aboard official Fountain of Youth S. winner Itsaknockout

"In the sprints he was in with tough horses with a lot of speed but when we stretched him out you could see the difference. When you've got a 3-year-old, you're hoping you can make it to the Kentucky Derby. There are a lot of steppingstones on the way, and you have to make sure you're at your best on that given day. We'll look at it a lot closer this week and decide where we go from here. I don't see dirt as a problem because he's trained very well on it at Santa Anita."

Trainer Jeff Bonde on G3 El Camino Real Derby champ Metaboss

"I just wanted to save some ground and be patient. At the half-mile pole I asked him a little bit and he kicked on right away, so I grabbed him and said,'whoa, whoa.' I said I was going to wait until I got to the five-sixteenths to ask him and that's what I did. He caught them quick. He kept opening up on them. He ran a mile and an eighth today, now we just need a mile and a quarter (the Kentucky Derby distance) and we're in business."

Jockey Alex Solis on riding Metaboss to victory in the El Camino Real Derby

"Since there was no pace, I thought I'd try to pull something different (and go to the front). I thought, when something is coming this easy, you can't take it away. The winner just beat me, that's all. The winner is a nice horse. I was never going to beat the winner. He beat us pretty handy."

Jockey Mike Smith on riding El Camino Real Derby beaten favorite Conquest Typhoon to a third-place finish

"He was pretty sharp today. In the paddock, he was pretty sharp and I knew he was going to want to go. I had this race penciled in and I wanted him to run well so maybe I could skip other races and wait for the Santa Anita Derby. Turning for home when that horse (Firing Line) came up on him, for an instant I felt like Bill Belichick of the Patriots. I thought, 'Oh, man, that's too bad.' It looked like that horse was going to go by him, but then he's such a fighter, he just kicked in. You really don't know about these horses until you put them in that scenario, and that's twice now that he just fought and came on to win like that. That was him. When they opened up on the field, I said it was a match race now. Firing Line is a really nice horse. It was exciting, because I thought we were beat, and when he came back like it made me really appreciate it a lot more. It makes it sweeter because going in I thought he was the best horse, then that horse went by him and I thought maybe he's not as good as I thought. This was a point when you find out, 'Shall I stay on the bus or get off at the stop.' It was a great horse race and I'm just fortunate I was on the winning end. Silver Charm, he was a fighter and fought really hard like that. It was good to win this race for Beverly Lewis, who is here today."

Trainer Bob Baffert after winning his fifth G3 Robert B. Lewis S. with Dortmund

"He's a really good horse. He's just a big baby; he's still learning. I broke sharp and I put myself in a good position. When I asked him to go he started moving slowly. It looked like Firing Line went by me but in the end, when I asked him, my horse started coming back. Firing Line gave us pressure but my horse just took off again."

Jockey Martin Garcia on Robert B Lewis S. champ Dortmund

"All we know is he ran a very good race. They (Dortmund and Firing Line) pulled a long way clear. It's disappointing not to win. These things are always easy after the event and the horse is still learning. I think one thing for sure is he's a very good horse and he got beat by a very good one. These are two very good horses."

Trainer Simon Callaghan on Firing Line's runner-up effort to Dortmund in the Robert B. Lewis S.

"I was disappointed. I saw that Martin was asking his horse and he wasn't getting any response and I was sitting there with a lot of horse. I thought I would never say I moved too early at the eighth pole in a dirt race, but I moved too early. At the three-eighths, I saw Dortmund wasn't responding and I was smiling. I said we'll see what he does and we were opening up and he (Dortmund) was idling. I thought we buried the one we had to beat, then I saw the shadow coming back at me."

Jockey Gary Stevens on his ride aboard Firing Line in the Robert B. Lewis S.

"I thought we were in trouble when, coming out of the gate, he stumbled. But (jockey) Manny (Franco) did a great job relaxing on him and making his move at the right time. It was one big move at the end, and it was perfect. Ideally we were trying to sit right off the pace, hopefully, right there on the rail, but that didn't happen. I saw they were going :48 and I thought that wasn't fast enough. He had an awesome turn of foot and got up in time."

Assistant trainer Byron Hughes on Far From Over's score in the G3 Withers S.

"I was concerned with the one hole, but they were going easy and he was behind them. I thought they were going slow and he's a fast horse, but (jockey) Rafael's (Bejarano) been working him and he knows the horse really well. He had him going nice and easy and he went wide and looked like he was sort of hanging. I saw the Desormeaux horse (Texas Red) coming up the rail and I thought, 'Well, he's (Lord Nelson) gone.' But he sort of kicked back in. We'll play it by ear (as to his next race). We're just trying to stay healthy ... but I like what he did today. Coming up to the race he was really training well, but sometimes they'll do that and won't run. But he ran like he'd been working."

Trainer Bob Baffert on G2 San Vicente S. winner Lord Nelson

"I had a perfect trip. He broke a little slow but then he took off and I was able to find position right away. I knew (Serbian Syclone, Jazzy Josh and Sir Samson) were going to have speed so I let them go and tried to save ground around the turn. I let him go once we were clear and I knew at the five-eighths pole. Texas Red was the horse to beat and I was waiting for him. When he came to us I let him (Lord Nelson) go and my horse took off again."

Jockey Rafael Bejarano on riding Lord Nelson to victory in the San Vicente S.

"It's a little disappointing, you know, 'cause it's so close to winning, but the long-term goal is well within reach. The pace was slow. They go faster for maiden 30s ($30,000), so you'd have seen a more visible cut if the pace was quicker. Still, to do what he did, you can't be disappointed. Right now, the plans are still as I've been saying. He's probably going to go to the Risen Star (at Fair Grounds on Feb. 21) and then we'll come back for the Santa Anita Derby on April 4."

Conditioner Keith Desormeaux on Texas Red's runner-up effort in the San Vicente S.

"It was a tough beat because he flew home. I had to carry another horse around the turn, there was a little bumping and shoving. That horse was trying to keep getting in my line and I was just trying to move forward in my line so I'd say that was the difference today. He had a real rally at the end. The pace wasn't much so they had something left. He was trying to catch horses with gas in the tank still."

Jockey Kent Desormeaux on his trip aboard Texas Red in the San Vicente S.

"I thought it was very impressive. I was worried about the outside, but I told (jockey) Irad (Ortiz, Jr.) that if the colt was going nice and not in trouble, don't worry about being wide. He used his best judgment, and it worked out great for us. He seemed to like the track so much that we'll probably send him back there for the next race there (G2 Tampa Bay Derby on March 7)."

Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin

"I hope it wasn't too fast. That's one of the advantages of running today - you have two weeks to play with. We can go up to the Gotham or we can come back here in four weeks in the Fountain of Youth. There is a cushion there if we came off the bench a little strong. We got some points today. If we ran in the Withers (Feb. 7 at Aqueduct) we would have been locked in to four weeks, four weeks, four weeks and there is no wiggle room. So this is a good spot. We'll see how he bounces off this and follow his lead. It could be that we'll stay here (for the G1 Besilu Stables Florida Derby on March 28) to give us the extra two weeks going into the (Kentucky) Derby. That might be the thing to do. It's nice to have that option."

Trainer Rick Violette, Jr. on plans for G3 Holy Bull S. hero Upstart

"The horse broke very well and I was in the position where me and Rick planned to be. It was perfect. By the half-mile pole I let him go and said, 'Let's see what we have here,' and when we turned for home we rolled. He was very good. He jumped into the bit, and I knew he was ready. When I saw him today in the paddock, I was very surprised because he looked so much bigger and so much stronger. I think he wants to go a mile and a quarter, so we will hopefully make the Kentucky Derby with him."

Jockey Jose Ortiz on Holy Bull S. champ Upstart

"We were second-best today. The one hole wasn't ideal. We thought it was good to save ground, but we were in a little tight and took some dirt. But, it was a good race. We were just second-best. (Jockey) Irad (Ortiz) had to wait a little bit and figure out which way he was going to go, but you have to get educated as you go along this trail. The winner was impressive."

Conditioner Kiaran McLaughlin on Holy Bull S. runner-up Frosted

"The horse has a ton of heart. I questioned his ability to go this far. I think he came through today, and I think more than anything, this is his home track. He loves it here. We were able to train him here, school him here; I didn't do that last time, and it showed today. Last time he lost the race in the paddock-before the race. The two horse (Acceptance) is a wonderful horse. He didn't run his best race today, but he's a wonderful horse, so no disrespect to him at all. But our horse ran his A-plus race today."

Trainer Bob Hess, Jr. on California Cup Derby winner Mischief Clem

"This was all Bob (trainer, Hess, Jr.) . . . We were pretty disappointed in his last effort; we've always been real high on him. Bob has been entering him in these head-hunting spots because we thought he was 'all that.' Every race we always seemed to have a quirk. The races just didn't go well, none of them did. He'd either miss a start, hop a start, get stuck inside or last time, he was just too aggressive. In a nutshell, today he was finally able to put everything together and I was able to ride him off my finger tips and he was just the consummate professional and he a got a picture taken."

Jockey Kent Desormeaux on California Cup Derby victor Mischief Clem

"I asked (jockey) Martin (Garcia) did you know you won? He said, "Yes,' and I said, Why didn't you give me a fist pump to let me know?' I thought he won, but I wasn't sure. It was so close. I knew it was going to be those three (Dortmund, Firing Line and Mr. Z). They're all really good horses. He's such a big horse. I wasn't sure how he was going to handle the turns here. He broke well and (Garcia) got him into his own rhythm. He reminds me of Point Given. He's got a good mind, but he's still filling out and he's still learning."

Trainer Bob Baffert after Dortmund's victory in the G1 Los Alamitos Futurity

"He learned a lot. That was the first time he went two turns and usually he's right there (on the lead), but today they broke really fast. I was pretty comfortable. I knew what I had underneath. Two months ago, he was pretty quiet. He was a baby, when he first ran, it was a big difference."

Jockey Martin Garcia on Los Alamitos Futurity champ Dortmund

"He ran a very good race first time going two turns. He got a little anxious before the race. He ran exceptionally well. Tough beat, but we have a lot of other good races to look forward to with him."

Conditioner Simon Callaghan on Los Alamitos Futurity runner-up Firing Line

"I wanted to put him in the race and be 1-2-3. The other horse (Mr Z) was lugging out in the stretch and bumped us a couple of times. I think it cost us the race."

Jockey Rafael Bejarano on Firing Line's Los Alamitos Futurity

"It was one of the most thrilling races, especially for a big feature, that I've ever seen here. We're so proud of him, he ran a really tough race. We didn't know if he could get the distance but really felt he deserved the chance after the Clever Trevor Stakes when he never really saw Shotgun Kowboy coming after him until he blew past. There will be lots of options for him. We'll let him tell us where he wants to be."

Owner Clark Brewster on Remington Springboard Mile S. winner Bayerd

"He relaxed perfectly behind the leaders. I moved on the backstretch when (runner-up Pulmarack) came up on our outside and I didn't want to lose position. This is a very nice horse with a lot of class."

Jockey Elvis Trujillo on riding Acceptance to victory in the King Glorious S.

"He ran really game. He's a good colt. He handled the track so beautifully when we brought him over for a work (seven furlongs in 1:23.80 Dec. 7). He has some real talent and you don't know how far that talent will take you."

Co-owner Bud Johnston on King Glorious S. champ Acceptance

"Since we got him he's been very special to us. The post position was a little hard; we were thinking of scratching, but I think we made the right decision, and he proved it today. I told (jockey Ruben) Silvera not to worry about losing ground, just be well placed. He fought on, and looked like he could handle 1 1/8 miles today."

Trainer Rudy Rodriguez on Damon Runyon S. hero Good Luck Gus

"It's easy to train a good horse. We've wondered about him because he acts up like he did today in the paddock, but my wife bred him and raised him and we've always thought he was special."

Conditioner James Hodges on Louisiana Champions Day Juvenile S. victor Mr. L. S. Shoe

"I was able to tuck in a little bit around the turn and he came home and finished it up. I think he's an improving 2-year-old and he feels like there's plenty left. He's so happy with himself and he rates and lets you do whatever you want with him."

Jockey James Graham after winning the Louisiana Champions Day Juvenile S. aboard Mr. L. S. Shoe

"I was very impressed with him. We fell in love with this horse first time. He wants to go somewhere. Right now we'll rest him until January, keep him here and give him a break. The last time, when he got beat, I wasn't disappointed. The horse threw his head up but it still was respectable. What I loved about today is he showed he's going to stretch out good."

Trainer Rodney Jenkins on Marylander S. winner Golden Years

"Mr. Jenkins told me just to make sure he broke well today. This horse has been training like a monster since his last race. He got out of the gate really good today and I knew the seven horse (Hear The Chatter) was the horse to beat, so I just stayed close to him, kept my horse out of trouble. He just carried me up to the other horse. At the top of the lane I looked back and didn't see anyone coming close. I tapped my horse one time, he changed leads and said 'let's go'. I think when his races get longer he will even get better."

Victor Carrasco on riding Golden Years to victory in the Marylander S.

"There were two speed horses and I thought we would sit third and see what happens further on. But, when I seen him on the front, the first thing I did was look at the time. When I saw :24 and :49, I said to myself, 'I think we're okay'. He's a really nice horse. Last time (in the Frost King Stakes), coming out of the gate, he stumbled and lost some ground and tried to come back on. We've always loved this horse."

Conditioner Sid Attard on watching Kingsport take the Kingarvie S. at Woodbine

"Sid (Attard) was very confident in the horse. I looked at the horse and he looked amazing. He wanted the horse in good position. It looked like we had a couple other speed in there, but my horse broke on top and he was so easy on the lead, I knew Sid would be happy with the way I rode him. The horse made the lead very easy."

Jockey Eurico Rosa da Silva on Kingsport'victory in the Kingarvie S.

"He split horses and made a good move coming into the lane. It wasn't a very big hole but he fired right through it. It's always nice when you don't have to worry about them being scared of horses. As big as he is, he shouldn't be scared of nothing. He acts like he's got even more talent than he showed today. I think he's going to develop into a pretty darn nice colt."

Jockey Russell Baze on Gold Rush S. hero Stand and Salute

"We just thought we'd ship to see how he shipped, first time going on the road. He's a real talented colt. He's just a little bit trying to find his balance. It [handling the surface] was great and he handled himself well in the paddock. He shipped in great and wanted to get over this surface and we wanted to get the two turns. I didn't mind them going :47 and change. He's a real fast colt, real relaxed with Calvin (Borel)."

Trainer John Terranova II on G2 Kentucky Jockey Club S. winner El Kabeir

"I had never been on the colt, and he got in about five days ago. We took him to the gate, stood him, and took the blinkers off of him and that was his [trainer John Terranova] idea to get him to relax. As a matter of fact I was out here watching him and everything and he did everything was perfect and it was just a matter of getting the distance and getting him to relax. We did our job; we got him to relax and we we've got to keep going forward. I was feeling very good. At the finish I knew it was getting tight because he had never been this far and the track is a little heavy. With everything put together it was a matter of who could out grind the other one. I think he did. It was the first time going this far. Truly, after this race it'll tighten him up real good."

Jockey Calvin Borel on riding El Kabeir to victory in the Kentucky Jockey Club S.

"That was good. That's the important dirt. So we're happy about that. One more jump and he had it, but he ran great and we're tickled with the way he ran. We belong with the 3-year-olds moving forward to the first Saturday in May. We will obviously keep him on the dirt now and go from there."

Conditioner Kiaran McLaughlin on Kentucky Jockey Club S. runner-up Imperia

"Nice colt. I had a great trip. It was his first time on the dirt and he took a lot of dirt. He was a consummate professional. He did everything I asked of him."

Jockey Robby Albarado on Imperia's Kentucky Jockey Club S. effort

"I thought he ran real well. You know you can't even have the slightest little of traffic trouble to win a race like this. So he ran good and the winner and runner-up race great. I was happy. We'll take him down to New Orleans and take it from there."

Conditioner Neil Howard on Kentucky Jockey Club S. show finisher Eagle

"He ran good. Everything really set up pretty good for us but we got hung up a little bit coming off the second turn. But he was running. And I really liked his gallop out. It'll be exciting to see him going a mile and-an-eighth."

Jockey Brian Hernandez, Jr. on Eagle's trip in the Kentucky Jockey Club S.

"We bought him with the two-turn dirt races in mind. If he's good enough, he'll get better as the distances go on. His owners have been looking for a Derby horse and they've been knocking on the door with a couple. I think they have a legitimate contender here. He's a very long-winded horse."

Trainer Chad Brown on G2 Remsen S. hero Leave the Light On

"It was the perfect trip. The way the track is playing today helped me a lot. We broke good and the plan was to take the lead like [trainer] Chad [Brown] told me. He was relaxed, I tried to slow him down as best I could, and when I asked him to go he was there. Perfect training [job] by Chad Brown and his team."

Jockey Jose Ortiz on Remsen S. victor Leave the Light On

"It was a very tough trip. He ran well; we're happy with his race, other than not winning. He was very wide on both turns because of his post position, and he ran a big race. He was just unlucky. He's a fun horse to have, and hopefully he'll have a bright future."

Conditioner Kiaran McLaughlin on Remsen S. runner-up Frosted

"He still has a lot of growing up to do. If you look at him, he's still kind of leggy and gangly and mentally he hasn't really figured things out, but he's on his way."

Trainer Josie Carroll on Coronation Futurity S. winner Decision Day

"Yesterday, I know he was tired at the top of the stretch. What a gutty performance. I was so impressed with him laying his body down like he did. He just refused to get beat yesterday. I know he was probably the favorite, but it was first time two turns on sand I don't think he was too happy with - I'm not saying it was bad. It was just a different surface than what he's used to. He's bred to go two turns, so you always look at that, and the fact that you can put him anywhere in the race you want. He relaxes. Even after two sprints, you'd expect him to be pretty keen leaving [Saturday] and he wasn't. He stumbled a little when he left the gate, so it cost him position, then (jockey) Mike (Smith) got him settled in. He was perfect."

Trainer James Cassidy on unbeaten G3 Delta Downs Jackpot champ Ocho Ocho Ocho

"He's got some credentials that you would have to look at. He was second in two stakes in Saratoga, second in the Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland, second here, and fifth in the Breeders' Cup with a troubled trip. If he were to come back and win the Grade 1 there, you'd have to look at him a little bit. That's a body of work. He's going to have a nice resume if he were to win the Grade 1."

Trainer D. Wayne Lukas on the chance for Delta Downs Jackpot runner-up Mr. Z to be named juvenile champion if the colt wins the G1 Los Alamitos Futurity next month

"Take nothing away from the little horse. He's very gritty, does everything right in the mornings, loves to train and loves his job. He persevered here going into the final turn, got bumped around a little bit, but was game enough to hold on."

Conditioner Michael McCarthy on G3 Bob Hope S. champ No Problem

"He surprised me, this horse. He's a fighter. He's just a little horse but he runs big. Mike (trainer Michael McCarthy) told me 'You know him; ride him like you need to.' The first time I rode him he was green. But the next time (Oct. 26, winning race), I put him in the race and rode him hard and he responded. Today he was more professional; he was calm on parade. When we got into the stretch he put his ears down and he fought. He didn't want to let them by."

Jockey Victor Espinoza on Bob Hope S. winner No Problem

"He was a little unsure of himself coming out of that chute. He didn't quite know what he wanted to do. And he didn't like the kickback hitting him in the face; he threw his head up. But then he settled and he ran good. It was a perfect trip after that."

Jockey Drayden Van Dyke on Bob Hope S. runner-up Alright Alright

"He ran OK. He was in there with them, then the last sixteenth of a mile he just went even."

Jockey Elvis Trujillo on Bob Hope S. show finisher St. Joe Bay

"The boss had this horse ready today. He's had good works and prepped well leading up to this race. He has been facing some very tough competition so we were not too concerned about the competition today. We were only concentrating on our horse."

Toby Sheets, assistant to trainer Steve Asmussen, on James F. Lewis III S. hero Cinco Charlie

"My horse broke well and I had a lot of horse down the backstretch and around the turn. We were in a good place. We got in no trouble. I asked him to go at the top of the stretch and he showed his class. I think he's going to be a great sprinter next year."

Jockey Ricardo Santana, Jr. on his ride aboard Cinco Charlie in the James F. Lewis III Stakes

"You have to have guts to win races. He overcame a start; he overcame horses in front of him. If you looked at him before, maybe people thought he was just a speed demon who just overshadowed everybody, but he proved today that he could sit of the pace and be patient. I thought (jockey) Paco (Lopez) rode an outstanding race on him. He was the best horse. I told my partners, 'My feeling is he's the best horse, but he's got experience going against him. He's going against horses that have run four or five times. If experience doesn't kill us, we should win the race.' I think he will go around two turns, so there's a lot to look forward to."

Conditioner Eddie Plesa, Jr. on Juvenile Sprint S. victor Mr. Jordan

"He won the first time going five and a half (furlongs) and now he was going six and a half. I told Eddie, I think I will win the race. I love the horse. The first time, he was a little bit green. The horse is still learning but I think the horse has a lot, a lot of talent. I have a lot of horse. I didn't want to make the lead. I wanted to teach the horse to come from behind and get a little bit of dirt in the face. He did pretty good. I asked my horse and showed him the whip and I had a lot of horse."

Jockey Paco Lopez on Juvenile Sprint S. winner Mr. Jordan

"He trains very slow, but he has perfect form. I've always liked this horse. He relaxes very good and then, just as you get to the quarter pole, he takes off. I was loaded in the stretch. He won easy. I don't think he's even tired."

Jockey Ricardo Gonzalez on Golden Nugget S. hero Stalk the Wildcat

"I was pushed a little wide (into the stretch), but I just let him get on about it. We were pretty confident that the trip would be good for him, because we think he'll have no trouble going two turns. He's a beautiful moving horse."

Jockey David Moran on Frost King S. champ Phil's Cocktail

"I hadn't even asked him yet and the others started coming back to me at the quarter-pole, so that made it real easy. You know, we were real poor when I was growing up but we always had horses. I don't know how my family ever fed them, but my education in horses came all together today with this win."

Jockey Kent Desormeaux on winning the G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile aboard Texas Red

"The first thing I thought when he was drawing away was 'How good is American Pharoah?' You never want to see a defection, but it had to help."

Co-owner and trainer Keith Desormeaux on capturing the Breeders' Cup Juvenile with Texas Red

"He started far back. Dirt hit him and he went backward instead of forward. Once he got into the clear, he started running and finished good."

Jockey John Velazquez on Carpe Diem's runner-up effort in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile

"It was disappointing with Daredevil for sure. He got hung very wide in the first turn. That might have accounted for some of it. It would have been impossible for him to win from where he was on the first turn, but it doesn't account for the poor performance. The other horse (Carpe Diem) got a big education, a lot of dirt and a different scenario than he's been in. It took him a while to get untracked. I think he finished really well. He's a promising horse for the future."

Conditioner Todd Pletcher on finishing 2 nd with Carpe Diem and 11 th with Daredevil in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile

"Good trip. I was a little wide the first turn; everybody wanted to go. I had to take back and stick in behind them. By the three-furlong (pole) I was perfect and he was positioned very well. When I had to move, I had the horse and everything and thought I was going to win. The winner was much the best. Every start he gets better. He really improved and belonged in this race. He will get better."

Jockey Jose Ortiz on finishing 3 rd in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile aboard Upstart

"It was speed packed to the inside. He took back, but it wasn't by design. I thought he ran terrific. At the last jump he just got lipped-out for second, and that that was frustrating, but I thought the horse ran huge and I'm proud of him."

Trainer Rick Violette, Jr. on Upstart's show finish in the Breeders' Cup Juveile

"I'm really pleased with him. It was his first run on dirt. Ryan (Moore) said he was always travelling well and he was right in there with a chance turning for home. He's run a great race and he may well come back next year for the Kentucky Derby, or we might even come back for the trials (Derby preps) as we haven't done it that way before. I will leave that decision up to the lads (Coolmore)."

Conditioner Aidan O'Brien on Breeders' Cup Juvenile 4 th -place finisher The Great War