Post-race quotes from the connections of Dunkirk

DiscreetCat

from the Gulfstream website:

Winning Jockey Quotes

Garrett Gomez:

“I got pushed wide on the (first) turn, but when I asked him he was super. That’s the way a special horse responds. He did what I asked of him and pulled us out of a little trouble. I wouldn’t say I was confident (before race). I didn’t know much about him coming in, but when you’re working with a horse like this, you’re going to look pretty good most of the time.”

Winning Trainer Quote

Todd Pletcher:

“I’m very pleased with the way he ran. It was a lot to ask to go from one seven-eighths race to a mile-and-an-eighth against a stakes quality field, and then got carried very wide in the first turn. But he overcame it all with no problem. Right now, I’d say it’s most likely that he won’t before going straight into the Florida Derby (Mar. 28). He’s here and he’s two-for-two over the track. That would be my first choice right now.”

justin13892002

Unbelieveable how this horse ran. One to watch as it gets closer to the Derby, nice post DC

cinfront

Well DC I liked this Colt right from the start. I know he didn't run as a 2yr old, but you have to admit he's shown so far what it take to be a potential contender. Until this guy gets beat I'll be sticking with him. The odds are against me, but records are made to be broken and that's horse racing. You got to love it.

fbwinners

This Colt won't win the derby off 3 starts, his times are slow and I know the track has been playing that way. I hope he goes into the Fla. Derby as a tout horse and the favorite, and he will go down.


FB

justin13892002

I seem to think the times are as slow as they are is because the horse is crushing every opponent, and can pull-up a little early. I will be sticking with this horse along the way. BIG BROWN won off few starts, why not Dunkirk?

FlyinLate

justin13892002 wrote: »

I seem to think the times are as slow as they are is because the horse is crushing every opponent, and can pull-up a little early. I will be sticking with this horse along the way. BIG BROWN won off few starts, why not Dunkirk?

Big Brown had 2 smashing victories in his 2 year old campaign before having time to rest and mature before prepping as a 3year old for the derby.

I agreed Dunkirk was impressive yesterday, but he still has not cracked my derby 20 yet. The horses he beat carry some clout but none of them have REALLY accomplished anything major. I'll be betting against him again in the FL Derby, if he beats me so be it. He has too much to overcome to win the derby IMO.

DiscreetCat

Big Brown only ran once as a 2yo, a huge front-running win around two turns on grass @ Saratoga.

The advantage Dunkirk has over Big Brown is that he's already recorded a win @ 1 1/8 miles goping into the Fla Derby. The inherent problem is that Dunkirk simply isn't as talented as Big Brown. I think that's pretty obvious at this point.

While it's true that Dunkirk ran a strong race yesterday, he was pretty much all-out in doing it. Big Brown had been completely in hand during his pre-Florida Derby allowance win. Both horses are identical at this stage as far as graded earning go. They both have (or had) ZERO heading into the Fla Derby. That means that Dunkirk has to either run 1st or 2nd in the Florida Derby justy to be able to draw into the Derby field. Otherwise Pletcher would have to wheel him back again in another graded race to try and pick up the necessary earnings.

Throw in the fact that no horse who debuted as a 3yo has won the Derby in about a million years.

I was actually out shopping around for Derby future on Dunkirk after the race yesterday, but the prices i was being quoted (12/1 to 15/1) were absolutely ridiculous. Perhaps he has a 60/1 chance right now, but nothing better than that. But i'm sure you'll see him prominently-placed on several Derby watch lists now, and Wathchmaker/Battaglia will probably be listing him in the 15/1 range as well. If not lower, knowing those guys.

Intriguing prospect to be certain, but he's no Big Brown. That much i know.

As for Cinfront, i do applaud your interest in Dunkirk after that maiden race. He certainly backed up your initial impressions yesterday. It's fun to have horses you are following moving up the ladder.

fbwinners

Well the so called experts and pundits are high on Dunkirk, Jeff Siegal has him number 1 on this first top 10 list and Gary Stevens say 3.7 mil was a bargain for this specail colt. I hope this colt wins the Fla Derby and goes into the Ky Derby as the 1st or 2nd choice.

cinfront

Thanks DC, this is a tough game Pal. I Have high hopes for this Colt, if he can stay healthy. Horses from the pass that I had high hopes, from the start, to name a few: A.P.Indy, Red Bullet, Victory Gallop, Bernardini all were my top choices for the Triple Crown and all of them had foot problems knocking out of 1 or 2 of the legs. Devine Park was a spectacular Colt developing foot problems. I backed him up from day one, beating Maiden Sp. Wht. in NY in 1:11&2. and the way he moved man sweetly & with ease, well checkout his race beating the great Commentator in Belmont. But anyways, 2 Colts that I've mentioned for backing Free Country(who didn't fire in Tampa) & Dunkirk who remain 2 for 2. I wonder if they'll keep Free Country in Tampa for the Tampa Bay Derby. After that race over the track I wouldn't think so but then again I've seen stranger things.(bounceback) Signing off