Saturday, October 2, 2010
VOSBURGH INVITATIONAL (G1) QUOTES
Rick Mettee, assistant to winning trainer Saeed bin Suroor of Girolamo (No. 2): “I was a little nervous when [jockey Alan Garcia] had to yank him up. We were a little closer to the lead than we thought he’d be but that was okay with how the race transpired. He was left in training to win a Grade 1 and we really had this race marked from the early summer. We thought this was a Grade 1 that might be winnable. We got the comeback race in him [Grade 1 Forego September 4 at
“I just got off the phone with [trainer Saeed Bin Suroor] and we have multiple horses possible for the Breeders’ Cup [Dirt] Mile so a lot depends on what Regal Ransom does tomorrow. We have Gayego, and Vineyard Haven also, but he’s not a Breeders’ Cup nominee, so a lot is going to depend on Regal Ransom in the Kelso tomorrow.”
Alan Garcia, winning jockey aboard Girolamo (No. 2): “On paper, the two horses that were on the lead looked like the speed horses, so I knew I wanted to sit right behind them. Then when we came around the turn I started looking for a place to get out because I didn’t want to be stuck on the inside. Towards the end of the race he was in hand and just cruising. In the end, he showed his class and won the race. It was really good to ride him again because he is one of my good horses and it was nice to get back on him.”
Ramon Dominguez, rider of runner-up Riley Tucker (No. 8): “I got excited turning for home because I had a lot of horse, but so did the winner. My horse ran a good race and I'm proud of him.”
Ben Perkins, Jr., trainer of third-place finisher Wildcat Brief (No. 9): “He ran well. We were obviously happy with the way he finished. I think being on the outside like that, he kind of got away from the horses a little bit and he just didn’t get himself engaged. Usually if he’s five, six, seven lengths off, he’s fine. That’s what [jockey Garrett Gomez] said, it’s just hard to get him interested. Then he said he finally did grab the bit and when he leveled off he had a good finish.”
Garrett Gomez, rider of third-place finisher Wildcat Brief (No. 9): “Ben [Perkins] told me don’t rush him too much because then he won’t come home. So I was back there twiddling my thumbs, hoping that he [Wildcat Brief] would help me a little bit. Especially when they go that slow up front, you’d like to see a horse encourage you and want to take you up to them, but he wouldn’t want to do that. Then when I did squeeze him he came home. He’s just the type of horse you just have to get after and then he delivers.”
