Saturday, August 30, 2014
Quotes from El Kabeir's 10 ¾-length maiden win
John Terranova, winning trainer of El Kabeir (No. 5): "He made me enter him, the horse did. I kind of threw it out there to [Ahmed] Zayat and Justin [Zayat] earlier in the week. I said, 'This horse really is doing well. I don't know if we want to even wait until we get back to Belmont. There is a seven-eighths closing weekend. We can enter him, and we've got a few days [to make a decision].'"
"He did everything right, perfect, even in that first race. He came out of it like he needed it. He had trouble at the break, and we knew he wasn't a five-furlong horse; he wanted more ground in front of him."
"We'll see how he comes back and how he trains once we get back home to Belmont. Obviously, we have the Champagne [Grade 1, $500,000, October 4] in mind, and some other races. I'm a New Yorker - if I can stay in New York, I'll stay home."
Irad Ortiz, winning jockey aboard El Kabeir (No. 5): "They're babies and last time he broke a little slow out of there. The trainer told me if he broke good to try to get a good trip and give the horse a chance, and he'll come running in the end. He was in front easy. He felt good. He's a nice horse. He did it easy."
