Tranier and Jockey quotes from the Belmont
DiscreetCat
Moderator
from the Belmont website:
Todd Pletcher, trainer of runner-up Dunkirk (No. 2): He ran well. I told Johnny (Velazquez, jockey) the same thing I told him all week we wanted him to get into his rhythm. He made the lead very easily and we were very happy with that. At the three-eighths pole, we thought he might have been lucky.
John Velazquez, jockey of Dunkirk: He battled every step of the way. He just got tired late, but he ran a huge race. He was definitely tired when I pulled him up, and he tied up. I hosed him down, and he seemed to be okay. I couldnt believe I was on the lead early. There was no pace. The way he broke, he was already there on the lead, so I didnt want to hold him back. I didnt see Mine That Bird, and he came to me at the eighth-pole. Then, I got after my horse and he put up a real good fight and came back to beat Mine That Bird for second. He just ran his eyeballs out, but unfortunately, we just got beat.
Chip Woolley, trainer of third-place finisher Mine That Bird (No. 7): He looked good coming off the track. He was tired, he was used, but he looked all right. I want to congratulate Tim Ice. Hes done a great job with the horse. Were a little down, disappointed right now. I thought he might have moved a hair early, but I havent watched the replay. He ran a great race. Its been a lot of fun. Well give him a good eight weeks off and let him freshen up. Well aim at something on the East Coast.
Calvin Borel, jockey of Mine That Bird: I thought I had it won when I got to the quarter-pole. They came back to me pretty quick. When I moved, I was happy. No excuses. He ran his eyeballs out. He took me a little earlier. When I eased him out, the horses in front kind of stopped. He got out-run, no excuses. He had a lot of racetrack in front of him. He ran a good race. I dont think he got tired. I might have let him get up earlier, but I wasnt going to take the race out of him. Turning for home, I thought he was home-free. He ran his heart out. I put him position to win, and we just got out-run.. Dont take anything away from the little horse.
(about guaranteeing victory): No regrets. I thought I was on the best horse going in. I know hes a good horse. Hes been five weeks, back to back. Its been a good roll, and I wouldnt change it for anything.
Kiaran McLaughlin, trainer of fourth-place finisher Charitable Man (No. 6): It was a pretty fast pace going that far. I was confident he was going to run well. He ran well, but I thought he was good enough to win, so its disappointing.
Alan Garcia, jockey of Charitable Man: He ran good, my horse. I saw Dunkirk; he went to the lead and I was waiting.. I saw Summer Bird make a move and I said, `OK, it's time to go. My horse kept going, and then he got tired. He ran a good race and I'm happy with the way he ran.
D. Wayne Lukas, trainer of fifth-place finisher Luv Gov (No. 5) and sixth-place Flying Private (No. 8): No [excuse] that I can see, its sort of tough to watch it live. I want to see the replay. I dont know if we got a track that was conducive, but I dont want to make any excuses, I would rather watch the replay first and see what it looks like. You know, when you watch it live up there and a mile and a half its pretty hard to find them out there. I thought that horse was live that won it and I thought Dunkirk ran a beautiful race. It wasnt all that surprising, I thought Summer Bird had an excellent chance the way hes been closing and well salute the winners and rack em up next year.
Julien Leparoux, jockey of Flying Private: I had a very good trip actually, but my horse didnt get there for me - I just ran out of horse.; Miguel Mena, jockey of Luv Gov: Unavailable for comment.
Eoin Harty, trainer of eighth-place finisher Mr. Hot Stuff (No. 3): Edgar (Prado, jockey) had him in position to win, but ultimately, it wasnt good enough
Edgar Prado, jockey of Mr. Hot Stuff: When Summer Bird made that move on the turn, no one was going to catch him.
Jerry Hollendorfer, trainer of ninth-place finisher Chocolate Candy (No. 1): He pulled up good, but we had no excuses. We ship out on Monday.
Garrett Gomez, jockey of Chocolate Candy: Unavailable for comment.
Nick Zito, trainer of seventh-place finisher Brave Victory (No. 10) and 10th-place finisher Miners Escape (No. 9): Brave Victory -- I dont know where, he got stepped on, but hes got a big gash on his knee. Hell be okay. He was moving nice the first time and he might have been a little closer. Im not making excuses. Rajiv said Mine That Bird made a pretty quick move on them. Im not taking anything away from the Birdstones [NOTE: Winner Summer Bird and third-place Mine That Bird were both sired by Birdstone, who won the 2004 Belmont Stakes with Zito as his trainer].
I was kind of surprised that Dunkirk took the lead. You know, I think if Miners Escape got that spot we might have run a little better but he had no excuse. The horse stumbled a little but he recovered pretty quick. I'm not making excuses, but he had a bad break.
Jose Lezcano, jockey of Miners Escape: He had a fair trip, he put himself in a good spot where I would want to be. I thought I had striking position and at the end I don't know if he got worn out or whatever, but he just didn't have the winning touch.
Rajiv Maragh, jockey of Brave Victory: I had the time of my life! I had a good trip and he put himself in a good spot, unfortunately he just didnt have that winning punch. Im a little disappointed, but he tried hard and I cant be too mad at the horse or myself, its not everyday, you cant win every race, but we had a fair shot at it.
Todd Pletcher, trainer of runner-up Dunkirk (No. 2): He ran well. I told Johnny (Velazquez, jockey) the same thing I told him all week we wanted him to get into his rhythm. He made the lead very easily and we were very happy with that. At the three-eighths pole, we thought he might have been lucky.
John Velazquez, jockey of Dunkirk: He battled every step of the way. He just got tired late, but he ran a huge race. He was definitely tired when I pulled him up, and he tied up. I hosed him down, and he seemed to be okay. I couldnt believe I was on the lead early. There was no pace. The way he broke, he was already there on the lead, so I didnt want to hold him back. I didnt see Mine That Bird, and he came to me at the eighth-pole. Then, I got after my horse and he put up a real good fight and came back to beat Mine That Bird for second. He just ran his eyeballs out, but unfortunately, we just got beat.
Chip Woolley, trainer of third-place finisher Mine That Bird (No. 7): He looked good coming off the track. He was tired, he was used, but he looked all right. I want to congratulate Tim Ice. Hes done a great job with the horse. Were a little down, disappointed right now. I thought he might have moved a hair early, but I havent watched the replay. He ran a great race. Its been a lot of fun. Well give him a good eight weeks off and let him freshen up. Well aim at something on the East Coast.
Calvin Borel, jockey of Mine That Bird: I thought I had it won when I got to the quarter-pole. They came back to me pretty quick. When I moved, I was happy. No excuses. He ran his eyeballs out. He took me a little earlier. When I eased him out, the horses in front kind of stopped. He got out-run, no excuses. He had a lot of racetrack in front of him. He ran a good race. I dont think he got tired. I might have let him get up earlier, but I wasnt going to take the race out of him. Turning for home, I thought he was home-free. He ran his heart out. I put him position to win, and we just got out-run.. Dont take anything away from the little horse.
(about guaranteeing victory): No regrets. I thought I was on the best horse going in. I know hes a good horse. Hes been five weeks, back to back. Its been a good roll, and I wouldnt change it for anything.
Kiaran McLaughlin, trainer of fourth-place finisher Charitable Man (No. 6): It was a pretty fast pace going that far. I was confident he was going to run well. He ran well, but I thought he was good enough to win, so its disappointing.
Alan Garcia, jockey of Charitable Man: He ran good, my horse. I saw Dunkirk; he went to the lead and I was waiting.. I saw Summer Bird make a move and I said, `OK, it's time to go. My horse kept going, and then he got tired. He ran a good race and I'm happy with the way he ran.
D. Wayne Lukas, trainer of fifth-place finisher Luv Gov (No. 5) and sixth-place Flying Private (No. 8): No [excuse] that I can see, its sort of tough to watch it live. I want to see the replay. I dont know if we got a track that was conducive, but I dont want to make any excuses, I would rather watch the replay first and see what it looks like. You know, when you watch it live up there and a mile and a half its pretty hard to find them out there. I thought that horse was live that won it and I thought Dunkirk ran a beautiful race. It wasnt all that surprising, I thought Summer Bird had an excellent chance the way hes been closing and well salute the winners and rack em up next year.
Julien Leparoux, jockey of Flying Private: I had a very good trip actually, but my horse didnt get there for me - I just ran out of horse.; Miguel Mena, jockey of Luv Gov: Unavailable for comment.
Eoin Harty, trainer of eighth-place finisher Mr. Hot Stuff (No. 3): Edgar (Prado, jockey) had him in position to win, but ultimately, it wasnt good enough
Edgar Prado, jockey of Mr. Hot Stuff: When Summer Bird made that move on the turn, no one was going to catch him.
Jerry Hollendorfer, trainer of ninth-place finisher Chocolate Candy (No. 1): He pulled up good, but we had no excuses. We ship out on Monday.
Garrett Gomez, jockey of Chocolate Candy: Unavailable for comment.
Nick Zito, trainer of seventh-place finisher Brave Victory (No. 10) and 10th-place finisher Miners Escape (No. 9): Brave Victory -- I dont know where, he got stepped on, but hes got a big gash on his knee. Hell be okay. He was moving nice the first time and he might have been a little closer. Im not making excuses. Rajiv said Mine That Bird made a pretty quick move on them. Im not taking anything away from the Birdstones [NOTE: Winner Summer Bird and third-place Mine That Bird were both sired by Birdstone, who won the 2004 Belmont Stakes with Zito as his trainer].
I was kind of surprised that Dunkirk took the lead. You know, I think if Miners Escape got that spot we might have run a little better but he had no excuse. The horse stumbled a little but he recovered pretty quick. I'm not making excuses, but he had a bad break.
Jose Lezcano, jockey of Miners Escape: He had a fair trip, he put himself in a good spot where I would want to be. I thought I had striking position and at the end I don't know if he got worn out or whatever, but he just didn't have the winning touch.
Rajiv Maragh, jockey of Brave Victory: I had the time of my life! I had a good trip and he put himself in a good spot, unfortunately he just didnt have that winning punch. Im a little disappointed, but he tried hard and I cant be too mad at the horse or myself, its not everyday, you cant win every race, but we had a fair shot at it.
Comments
47 half mile when you are going 1 1/2 and the leader is DUNKIRK ??? NO ONE on the planet saw that coming. Again ... no real speed in the race and for some reason they took off quickly anyway. Race was set up for a closer but what a gutsy performance by Dunkirk.