Post Race Quotes -- Kentucky Oaks 128

CHRIS McCARRON (Jockey, Farda Amiga)

On Farda Amiga - "She gotten progressively better...that's a pattern you like to see."

On The Oaks - "Turning for home I felt a lot of power-a good turn of speed. Turning for home I felt confident we'd pick up a nice check-by the eighth pole I thought we had a good chance of overhauling her (Take Charge Lady)."

On The Inquiry - "There was no contact. She did drift in, but You drifted out. If Victor (Espinoza, jockey on You) had to steady, it was just for a stride. You drifted out more than we drifted in."

On The Post-Race Winner's Circle Celebrations - "Well I've been involved with some ebullient celebrations, but this one...The filly was jumping around a bit. I was afraid something might happen to her, so I politely told one of the owners to settle down...at least it hope it came off politely."

On The Santa Anita Oaks -"It was her first dirt race and she ran good, but she was squeezed back going into the first turn and then she was climbing, she was lifting up her head, on the backstretch-she'd never gotten dirt kicked back in her face before. Then she was hung wide and still she was only beaten two lengths by fillies like You and Habibti.

"Believe me I was very confident going into this race. I didn't tout this filly, but I told anyone who asked me that I felt very confident about her chances."

Looking ahead to Kentucky Derby mount on Came Home...and the possibility of taking Oaks-Derby double - "I've been saying all along the colt is doing super. As far as the distance, I can't answer that question, only Came Home can answer that question. A few months ago I might have thought he would turn out to be a miler. In the Santa Anita Derby he proved he was much more than that."

On Brazilian Trainer Paulo Lobo - "I haven't had a lot of experience with him, but the few experiences I've had with him I've been very impressed with his style. When I saw this filly for the first time since the Santa Anita race (Oaks) I couldn't believe my eyes. She looked just beautiful. Her appearance was evidence of a great training job."

PAULO LOBO (Trainer, Farda Amiga)

On Farda Amiga - "She is an amazing filly. She had run four times on the turf and then we thought maybe we should switch tracks. She's by Broad Brush, so why not try dirt."

On The Kentucky Oaks - "We had a meeting with the owners to find her next race and we looked at Churchill and we liked the long stretch. From the five-eighths pole, I liked Chris McCarron's position very much. From the three-eighths pole I felt very good about her chances."

On The Santa Anita Oaks - "She didn't break well and it wasn't the perfect trip, but she took fourth only two lengths back of You."

TONY D'AMICO (Jockey, Take Charge Lady, finished second) - "She broke sharp and she set fractions that were pretty easy for her. I eased her about one spot off the rail and she was running easy. At the head of the lane, I asked her and she responded with everything she had. She ran a gritty, gritty race, but the winner was just too much."

KENNY McPEEK (Trainer, Take Charge Lady, finished second) - "This is why I didn't run her in the Derby. Before the winter started, I was questioning whether or not she's a mile and an eighth filly. She's a very good filly, but I've also questioned whether or not she likes this racetrack. She's all class, but the track kind of cups away from her. I don't think she's as good here as she's been at the other racetracks. She's a lovely filly and it's unfortunate that we didn't win. We'll find a spot for her and give her time to get herself together."

On the possibility of having Take Charge Lady placed first if the objection on Farda Amiga had been allowed: "We got kissed in on Wednesday or Thursday. That's what it's called when you get put up. Before that, it had been 10 years since that happened. To have that happen twice in one week would have been unbelievable. I couldn't see what happened. Congratulations to the connections that won it."

VICTOR ESPINOZA (Jockey, Habibti, finished third) - "I was in a good spot on the turn when the winner came up to me and I was forced to check. My filly lost momentum and you just can't lose momentum at any time in a race like this. My filly never really recovered."

JERRY BAILEY (Jockey, You, finished fourth) - "They were in tight on that first turn up ahead of me, but I managed to stay clear of the trouble. Actually, my filly got a great spot; right where I wanted her to be. Stalking. I was where I wanted to be turning for home, but my filly just couldn't catch the favorite. Then I saw the 1 (Farda Amiga) go blowing by and get her. You ran well. The other fillies just ran better."

RENE DOUGLAS (Jockey, Take The Cake, finished fifth) - "At the start when the people screamed and she broke right through the front. It surprised me; it wasn't my plan. I wanted to follow Take Charge Lady and that's what we did. I wanted her to settle and she settled perfect in the backstretch. I thought we would win. I still like this filly. She's going to get better."

CARL NAFZGER (Trainer, Take The Cake, finished fifth) - "We just got outrun. We'll have to look at the replay to see if anything was there. We ran a good filly today but we'll have to see where we are at. There are no excuses."

ALEX SOLIS (Jockey, Ile De France, finished sixth) - "At the half-mile pole she was done. It really wasn't her day. She was all stirred up and upset going to the gate. Then she didn't fire like she can. I don't know if she didn't like the track or what. She just didn't show up today."

JORGE CHAVEZ (Ms Brookski, finished seventh) - "My filly didn't handle the turn well at all. She went sideways and we lost a lot of ground and we were never a factor."

FRANKIE DETTORI (Jockey, Imperial Gesture, finished eighth) - "She was pinched a little at the start but not too bad. She was in good position around the far turn but then she got wobbly around the quarter pole and then was obviously in distress so I wrapped her up."