SANFORD (G2) QUOTES

Sunday, July 22, 2012

 

 

SANFORD (G2) QUOTES

 

Kelly Breen, winning trainer of Bern Identity (No. 3): “The extra $100,000 bonus makes it all sweeter. So, thanks, NYRA! Even for his first start, without the bonus, I don’t know if I would have run him in New York to begin with. Maybe with the big money here, we’ll have to think about bringing some more horses here.”

 

“He’s a fast horse. After he won, he came back and worked extremely fast. That kind of indicated to me he was the real deal. That’s how I feel in my heart anyway. They outran him a little bit in the beginning; I was a little surprised. Maybe the fast workout last week took a little bit out of him. But he showed his grit, got a little bit of dirt in his face and ran nice. He didn’t break great, but in the blink of an eye we were a length behind. She had to ride him coming out of there. Around the turn it was a little nerve-wracking – is he going to keep coming? – she never had a chance to give him a breather. She sat on him a little bit around the turn and then asked him to go again. He showed a lot of grit. I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t think he was a nice horse. We take our chances coming to New York, and when we show up we’re here for a reason. We were here with what I thought was a nice horse.”

 

Rosie Napravnik, winning jockey aboard Bern Identity (No. 3): “He ran great. He’s really got a lot of grit. We weren’t quite as forwardly placed as I thought we might be, but the pace was extremely fast. He just hung in there down on the rail and finished strongest coming for home. [Co-owner Lori Hall] asked me if this was my first Sanford and I said, ‘Yes.’ I’ve had a lot of firsts for these guys. They’re great supporters and I’m glad to be riding for them. He’s extremely talented and, on top of that, he’s got a lot of heart. I’m excited to see where he goes from here.”

 

George Hall, winning owner of Bern Identity (No. 1): “[At the sale] I think Kelly [Breen] said he liked him, and he wasn’t too expensive. That was good enough for me. We’ll see how he comes out of the race and see what’s between here and the Breeders’ Cup; obviously, that’s where we’d like to get.”

   

Joel Rosario, rider aboard runner-up Handsome Jack (No. 1): “He ran good out there. It’s too bad he got beat. He broke sharply and he was in his skin today. I tried to hold his position up front. He got some pressure up front. We were just second-best today.”