TEST (G1) QUOTES

Saturday, August 7, 2010

 

TEST (G1) QUOTES

 

Eric Guillot, winning trainer of Champagne d'Oro (No. 3): "She doesn't rate, but she can get headed and finish. If she doesn't get grabbed, she's fine. She has a real sensitive mouth and doesn't like to be grabbed. I think she's going to be a really good filly as a 4-year-old if she stays sound – a really good filly at a mile to a mile and a sixteenth. I want to keep her at seven-eighths and stretch her out after the Breeders' Cup. We're going to follow the same route as Maryfield, whom we bought for our broodmare band. With the way she won easily, she could come back [in the Grade 1 Ballerina August 28]."

 

Miguel Mena, winning jockey aboard Champagne d'Oro (No. 3): "In her last race, I got her into a little trouble before the quarter-pole, and she wound up second, beaten 1 ½ lengths. I am very happy the connections gave me the chance to ride her back. Today, I had a great trip. She broke sharply, was right there on the lead with the No. 1 horse [Pica Slew], switched leads around the turn and came through in the end. Today, there were no problems, and she got the money."

 

John Velazquez, jockey aboard runner-up Bonnie Blue Flag (No. 4): "I was in perfect position and I saw the winner, which I knew was the horse to beat.  When I pulled my horse out at the quarter pole she gave me a little bit, but the winner just drew away. It really was a good effort, but the winner was just much the best today."

 

Tom Albertrani, trainer of third-place finisher Belle of the Hall (No. 7): "She got squeezed pretty good at the start. She lost a few lengths at the break. She was able to recover, find some daylight, and finish strong. We were pleased to see her get up there and get a piece of it. It's encouraging to see her get to that level. Still, it was a tough break."

 

Ramon Dominguez, rider of third-place finisher Belle of the Hall (No. 7): "She got bothered very badly at the start, [Lovely Lil] made a right hand turn coming out of the gate and it seemed like that got her a little a rattled.  She was drifting out a little bit, and then around the three-eighths pole she really got out a lot. Then, she got herself together and came running the last part pretty good to get third."

 

Manoel Cruz, rider aboard favored seventh-place finisher: "I was very confident in this horse.  She didn't finish for me."