BELDAME INVITATIONAL (G1) QUOTES

Saturday, September 29, 2012

 

 

BELDAME INVITATIONAL (G1) QUOTES

 

Hall of Famer Bill Mott, winning trainer of Royal Delta (No. 3): “It’s nice to win the race and turn it around a little bit. I’m glad for Royal Delta; she got beat last time, came back, and avenged that loss today. She ran a super race – broke well, took it to the horse on the lead and she was much the best today. Just a very impressive performance. She schooled well here this week. It’s not as hectic as Saratoga. She was very good going to the gate, whereas last time she was a little hot going to the gate. We did a couple of things differently with her as far as the warm up went, so it worked out nicely. She was certainly good today.”

 

Hall of Famer Mike Smith, winning jockey aboard Royal Delta (No. 3): “You basically saw what it really was; it was extremely impressive. She was much calmer today in the post parade. I think I had a bit to do with that last time [in the Personal Ensign at Saratoga]. I didn’t know her as well as I do now. When she likes to move, you’ve got to let her move. The other day I kept trying to keep her quiet and keep her still and I think it just agitated her more and she got hot and got hot. So, today when she wanted to kick on, I just let her open up and gallop, let her open up coming back. She was much better. I learned a little something; I was glad Bill [Mott] brought it to my attention. If that was the difference, I’m not sure, but she was really leading up to this race for this kind of a performance. If you look at her works they were much different than her works before the race in Saratoga, so whatever he’s doing, he’s doing it right and she’s coming around at the right time.

 

“[When Cash for Clunkers didn’t break] it changed for me because now I’ve got to make sure and not let It’s Tricky get away with something too easy. I’ll be honest with you, halfway down the backside my mare really gathered herself. She was moving, at that point, so much better than It’s Tricky, he was having to push her along to keep pace with me, and I thought ‘wow, I hope I’m not going too, too fast and set it up for someone behind me,’ but she was well within herself the whole time. At the wire, as you saw, I geared her down probably two or three gears. She was doing it so easy and we’ve got another big race coming up, I certainly didn’t want to make her do any more than she had to.”

 

Benjamin Leon, winning owner of Royal Delta (No. 3): “It was outstanding and what she’s capable of doing. I think we have her back. She ran her race, and just turned it on when she had to turn it on. She did her job, and she’s an awesome filly.”

 

“Any horse or any human being can have a bad day, and a lot of things happened in the [Grade 1 Personal Ensign] that made the race what it was. I think we have her back.”

 

“This is a prep race for the Breeders’ Cup, and we’ll be there.”

 

Kiaran McLaughlin, trainer of runner-up It’s Tricky (No. 6): “Congratulations to the winner. We were second-best. She was very impressive. We thought that Alan Garcia [on Cash for Clunkers] would be on the lead, but it just didn’t work out that way. It was a match race all the way and we finished second-best today. We’ll talk with [Godolphin racing manager] Simon Crisford whether to go seven [furlongs] or longer or not go at all [to the Breeders’ Cup]. We’ll talk about it.”

 

Eddie Castro, rider aboard runner-up It’s Tricky (No. 6): “Royal Delta was right there. That’s the filly I had to beat. Turned out that filly run good, you know.   We broke good and had a good trip, she ran great. Nothing I can say, you know?”