KENTUCKY DERBY 137 LOSING JOCKEY QUOTES
COREY NAKATANI (Nehro, second) – “Overall the trip was pretty darn good. We were in a predicament where I didn't think the pace scenario was as fast as what I needed to be able to get him into a high cruising speed.
“I've got to thank (trainer) Steve (Asmussen) and (assistant) Scott Blasi. They got this horse here and it's a pretty tough campaign just getting here, to have enough graded earnings. For him to run this big in this race is impressive."
You seemed to sense right out of the gate that the pace wasn't hot.
“That's my job is to sense it and to know how fast I'm going and that's why I was where I was. I knew if I slowed him down anymore than what I already was he's going to bunch up his stride and he's not going to run the race that I need he thinks to run to keep going. It didn't set up for us, he ran a great race, the winner was just a little bit better today. I ended up having a great trip with the outside post that we had. It's difficult when you're out that far to save as much ground as we did. He ran a tremendous race."
And how did he finish once you assumed the lead?
“He just kept running. He keeps grinding and he keeps going once he's got that cruising speed and the way the race set up there was no pace so it didn't set up for his style. I was wanting it to go 22 and change and 46 and change. I imagined sitting eight, nine lengths back and tucking in where I want to be. It ended up being no pace like I thought might happen so I got lucky enough to make the right call. He ran a tremendous race.”
RAJIV MARAGH (Mucho Macho Man third) – “I had a great trip. My horse gave me a great feeling all around the race track. At every point in the race that I needed something from him, he gave it to me. He was just third. He ran 110 percent. He kept coming on all the way through to the wire. He ran an amazing race.”
JESUS CASTANON (Shackleford, fourth) – “It was an easier pace than some expected, but we were willing to take it. He led on his own and ran really, really big. I rode him a little bit away from the gate and he did the rest on his own. When they came to me, he picked it up really nice and gave me a good run down the stretch. I’m very happy with his run and he’s improving, this horse. He’ll be better and better down the road.”
GARRETT GOMEZ (Master of Hounds, fifth) – “I really like him. It was a great run for his first time on dirt. We had a really good trip. Who would have thought they would slow it down to 48 and change. Down
the backstretch they threw the airbrakes on and it cost us. We were at the mercy of the pace. He ran sensationally through the dirt. I’m looking forward to riding him in the Belmont Stakes."
SHAUN BRIDGMOHAN (Santiva, sixth) – “I thought we had a phenomenal trip. Hard to believe. We saved ground, but today just wasn’t his day to win. He didn’t disrespect himself at all. He ran pretty well and was right there.”
JOEL ROSARIO (Brilliant Speed, seventh) – "I had a good trip. My horse after the first turn was a little bit aggressive. I just tried to hold him back a little bit and take my time on the inside but I couldn't. Maybe that doesn't happen and I can finish maybe third or something like that. But I got a good trip. I got on the outside, probably a little wide but for the Derby you got to make sure you don't get stopped or anything like that. Whatever you can find where you're clear you have to take."
JULIEN LEPAROUX (Dialed In, eighth) – “He had a good trip. It went the way we planned it in the back, but they didn’t back up to us today.”
ROSIE NAPRAVNIK (Pants On Fire, ninth) – "I couldn't have wished for a better trip. We had to adjust minimally into the first turn but we were in a good spot and he ran so well. He galloped out past them. I think the best feeling was when I just kind of tapped him to see what I had about the 4 1/2 and I angled him out to the outside and I had some left and I was like, 'Oh boy, I wonder where we're going from here.' "
CALVIN BOREL (Twice the Appeal, 10th) -- “No excuses. He tried. He gave me a little spurt, but it wasn’t to be.”
ALAN GARCIA (Soldat, 11th) – “Everything was good with him but by the three-eighths pole, he was done but hopefully we will do better next time."
RAMON DOMINGUEZ (Stay Thirsty, 12th) --“I’m happy with his effort. He tried hard. We just couldn’t get there. No excuses.”
JAVIER CASTELLANO (Derby Kitten, 13th) – “I was in a good spot most of the way and had a good trip. My horse’s style is to race from far back and that’s where we were early. My horse didn’t handle the dirt and he’s probably better on turf or Polytrack.”
KERWIN CLARK (Decisive Moment, 14th) – “It was all right, but we were stuck down on the inside. I really thought coming to the top of the stretch that he’d show more speed. He tried he really did.”
JON COURT (Archarcharch, 15th) – “He just didn't feel comfortable in the last 16th. I never was really comfortable in the race. My saddle slipped coming out of gate. I don't know why, because the equipment was on perfectly. He had never felt like that underneath me, so I had the vet take him back as a precaution. He just didn't pull up comfortably enough."
VICTOR ESPINOZA (Midnight Interlude, 16th) – “He come out of the gate good but he just didn't have enough. By the five-eighths pole I had no horse. I had a good trip actually but I was surprised I didn't have enough. He got a little bit warm before we went into gate, the crowd noise might have bothered him a bit but we had no excuse."
MIKE SMITH (Twinspired, 17th) – “I had a great trip, but maybe he just didn’t handle the track. No other excuses.”
RAFAEL BEJARANO (Watch Me Go, 18th) – “I am disappointed he didn't run better.”
PATRICK VALENZUELA (Comma to the Top, 19th) – “I had a perfect trip. He just can’t go the mile and a quarter. I can’t complain.”
KENTUCKY DERBY 137 LOSING TRAINER QUOTES
STEVE ASMUSSEN (Nehro, second) – "The little horse just ran unbelievable. I'm very proud of him. Congratulations to the winner, but, for Mr. Zayat and his family, I sure would've loved to have won it but I was very excited he ran second. There was way less pace than I thought there would be and thank goodness Corey (Nakatani) was smart enough to take advantage of that."
KATHY RITVO (Mucho Macho Man, third) – “He’s only going to get better, he’s only a June 15 foal. He’ll come back hopefully in a couple weeks if he comes back good, and we’re ready to go.
“He was fabulous today. It went just the way we thought it would be. He gave it his all. He finished up well. Rajiv (Maragh) said he finished up well.
“It was really exciting. When I saw him turn for home and he was running, I was jumping around and cheering him on.”
DALE ROMANS (Shackleford, fourth) – “I’ve been talking all week that when a race is packed with speed, people often end up taking back and not wanting to go. We thought it might play out like it did. He fought. He tried to fight down the lane. I’m very proud of him. I’m not saying we can’t run a mile and a quarter some time, because we ran a mile and a quarter today faster than all but three horses. I’d love to go to the Preakness. We’ll talk to the owners.”
AIDAN O’BRIEN (Master of Hounds, fifth) – “It was a great race for his first time on dirt. We're delighted."
EDDIE KENNEALLY (Santiva, sixth) – “He had a decent trip and didn’t get beat that far. Shaun (Bridgmohan) was happy. He tried hard, so no real excuses.”
TOM ALBERTRANI (Brilliant Speed, seventh) – “He's come back fine so far. He's in a good shape. He ran good."
NICK ZITO (Dialed In, eighth) – “He was in the back of the pack. He was dead last and they just never came back. They went 1:13 and never came back.”
KELLY BREEN (Pants On Fire, ninth) – "He never stopped running. He never stopped trying."
JEFF BONDE (Twice the Appeal, 10th) – “We wound up splitting them. We broke pretty good, lay on the fence, came out for a run and then just couldn’t get there. It wasn’t our day.”
KIARAN MCLAUGHLIN (Soldat, 11th) – “He came back from the race in good shape, he just was flat the last part. Congratulations to the winners, John Velazquez and Graham Motion, who are great people and very deserving. We’ll fly out Monday and head back to New York.”
TODD PLETCHER (Stay Thirsty, 12th) – “I thought we had a real good trip. He just didn’t have that big punch. We didn’t have any visible excuses.”
MIKE MAKER (Derby Kitten, 13th/Twinspired, 17th) – “Our two just got outrun from what I could see. Not our day.”
JUAN ARIAS (Decisive Moment, 14th) – “I’m very pleased. We had to change the way he runs, but there’s nothing we can do about it.”
JINKS FIRES (Archarcharch, 15th) – “I just don't know. I need to talk to (jockey) Jon (Court). All I could see what he got shuffled back, but that's what we were afraid would happen.”
BOB BAFFERT (Midnight Interlude, 16th) – “He broke well but then he got pinched back and after that he never got to running. Victor (Espinoza) said he was out of horse early. Just one of those things. It wasn’t his day, maybe the inexperience and the big crowd got to him.”
KATHLEEN O’CONNELL (Watch Me Go, 18th) – When the 19 (Nehro) broke out we should have been able to save ground but instead we went up there on the outside. It’s unfortunate, but we’ll live to fight another day. Look what happened to Archarcharch. My hearts bleeds for him (trainer Jinks Fires).
PETER MILLER (Comma to the Top, 19th) – “It appears my horse chipped his left ankle. We could see it when we brought him back. I believe we will have Dr. (Wayne) McIlwrath from Colorado State University take it out in the next little while. Then he’s got to go on the sidelines for at least 60 days. This isn’t the end of the world and hopefully it won’t be too bad. My horse tried; he always tries and for the first mile of the race he was right there. In the end it looks like we do have a real good miler or mile and a sixteenth horse. We got to run in the Kentucky Derby. How special is that?”