Sunday, August 29, 2010
PERSONAL ENSIGN (G1) QUOTES
Shug McGaughey, winning trainer of Persistently (No. 3): “Obviously with a filly like Rachel Alexandra in the race, we knew we were a long shot. But we did think she’d run a mile and a quarter. It was Mr. Phipps’ decision. He said to me, ‘If it’s going to be a short field; I’d like to give it a try.’ The only time she had ever run two turns on the dirt was when she won here earlier in the meet. It’s one of those things that pays off. Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn’t. But today it did. I felt like something was going to be going on up front, and I just wanted [Garcia] to let the race unfold as it did and just kind of be there if she had a chance.
“I thought that [Rachel Alexandra] might be a little vulnerable going a mile and a quarter, and I knew we’d run a mile and a quarter. I knew we would run a mile and a quarter. Her female family runs a long way.
“We’re just tickled to death to win the race, particularly with it being the Personal Ensign. My hat’s off to Rachel Alexandra. She runs her heart out every time. She made a beautiful presence in the paddock today. We were just lucky enough to pick up the pieces.”
Alan Garcia, winning jockey aboard Persistently (No. 3): “She had a very good trip all the way behind the leaders. At the three-eighths pole, I knew I had to move, and she did it. I knew she was doing this well.”
"It's very exciting for these guys, Shug and Mr. Phipps. I'm very excited.”
Steve Asmussen, trainer of beaten favorite and runner-up Rachel Alexandra (No. 2): “The winner won the race and I don’t want to take anything away from that. In a five-horse field, you can’t complain about where you are. It is what it is. I thought [Rachel] put a very good mare [Life At Ten] away. It obviously took more out of her on the front end than we would have hoped for. When she moved away from [Life At Ten] that’s what you were hoping to see. Then she got run down late.”
“I’m very disappointed that she lost, but I am always very happy with Rachel. It hurts to lose and you’re disappointed for it, but if that’s the case, just think about how happy she’s made you and all the things she has done for us. She’s a tremendous mare. If she isn’t exactly where she was last year, hopefully she can get back there.”
[Next?] “Her [next race] will be up to Mr. Jackson and I will speak with him. We want to evaluate who we are and who she is and where she’s at. We’re just worried about her well-being.”
Forwarded Statement from Jess Jackson, co-owner of beaten favorite and runner-up Rachel Alexandra (No. 2): “We are disappointed in the result, as we are sure her countless fans are, but we are certainly not disappointed in her. She is still a superstar in our hearts and minds. The old sports adage applies ... on any given Sunday, anything can happen.”
Barbara Banke, wife of Jess Jackson, co-owner of beaten favorite and runner-up Rachel Alexandra (No. 2): “She had to go fast and she did and it just seemed like the last 60 yards she couldn’t hold off the late run. Maybe things would have worked out different if she was in a different position, but you can’t really tell.
“We’ll evaluate. [The pace] tired her. [Calvin Borel, jockey] said just the last 60 yards, she was tired. She’s never gone a mile and a quarter before. She’s still the queen and the diva. I’m going to go see her now, and that will be my birthday present.”
Calvin Borel, rider of runner-up Rachel Alexandra (No. 2): “She just got outrun. I had everything my way, and she just got outrun.
“After we put away Life At Ten at the quarter pole, I didn’t feel any acceleration and I got worried. She wasn’t really there. I knew if anyone was running behind us, we were in trouble. If you can’t take the losing with the winning, you can’t be in the game.”
Todd Pletcher, trainer of third-place finisher Life At Ten (No. 4): “She came up a little empty at the three-eighths pole. We were going to let our filly run her race and let her find her rhythm; :47 [for the half-mile] was comfortable fractions for her. Obviously, we tried to win the race.”
John Velazquez, jockey aboard third-place finisher Life At Ten (No. 4): “That was a speed duel. I thought my filly would be on the lead, [Calvin Borel, jockey aboard Rachel Alexandra (No. 2)] would rate in second, but he sent her out and got in the lead and all that did was create more problems for my horse because now she was engaged. But I wasn’t going to take her back; I just left her alone. I wasn’t going to go back either, so I just held my position and left it alone. The half-mile pole came and I thought she was dead and then the three eighths pole came and she was done. Nothing left.”
