WOODWARD (G1) QUOTES
Bill Mott, winning trainer of To Honor and Serve (No. 6): “He’s been a good horse; he’s been a Grade 1 winner. I mean, he won the Cigar Mile last year, and he’s competed well [at ages] 2, 3 and now 4. He’s established himself as a top handicap horse, and hopefully he’ll go on and finish the year out strong and go on to be a good sire. Hopefully, the breeders will give him a big chance with good mares and he’ll do well.”
“I knew he had it in him. He’s been training well, he’s a sound horse and there’s no reason for him not to. I told my story the last time [in the Grade 2 Suburban Handicap on July 7 at
“When we went into the Suburban, we were really shooting for the Whitney. I think after the result of that, I felt like our excuse was the real sultry hot weather. I made the decision to bypass it because earlier in the month it’s very hot. I figured we’d get a little break in the weather toward the end, and we have. Not only today, but during the nights, and he’s been doing very well and eating very well because he’s appreciated the better weather.”
“The only thing I said was, they [To Honor and Serve and runner-up Mucho Macho Man] have raced against each other since they were 2-year-olds. We’ve traded win positions and I figured it was our turn. You always wonder how he’s going to do in a dogfight, and that horse ran up to his neck and he held him. He ran well, although Johnny [Velazquez] said he was kind of loafing a little on the lead when he turned for home, but he said finally the other horse ran to him and got him back in gear.”
On whether he would consider a run in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile to keep To Honor and Serve separate from his other older horse, Ron the Greek: “Well, I’ve got to consider what distance, but we want to run him whatever race has the biggest gain in it. We’ll have to determine that when it approaches at that time. That’s something we’ll have to sit down with the owners for and work that out. I’m not going to make that decision right now.”
John Velazquez, winning jockey aboard To Honor and Serve (No. 6): “Very nice. I always liked the horse; I rode him here last year. I told Angel [Cordero, Jr.] after I rode him and won with him last year, I thought he would come back really, really good at 1 1/8 miles. I didn’t have the chance to ride him back, because I was committed to other horses. It’s great to be back on him.”
“The trip was perfect. I thought those two horses might go, and Mike [Smith would] take back, and I expected they were going to send Rule from the rail. It worked out perfect. I talked with Bill, he said ‘Don’t get into a wrestling match with him; just kind of let him do a little more.’ After the half-mile pole, going to the three-eighths, I gave him his head and let him get a nice rhythm. He got to the quarter-pole in hand without asking him to do anything. When he got to the lead, he started waiting. I thought he was going to gallop, but when he got by himself, he started waiting. When the other horse came to him, he started fighting. It was a great effort.”
Charlotte Weber of Live Oak Plantation, winning owner of To Honor and Serve (No. 6): “I’m thrilled. It’s the second time in 20 years [Live Oak won the 1992 Woodward with Sultry Song], and I think he’s a marvelous horse. I just signed the deal to put him to stud with Mr. Beck [Antony Beck, of Gainesway Farm]. It is a marriage made in heaven.”
On To Honor and Serve’s two losses this year: “Each opportunity presents new challenges and sometimes you’re on your game, and they can’t tell you, ‘Hey, it’s not my day,’ so, he is what he is. He’s one of the best-looking horses in his group, and I think he’s performed very well.”
“When he had his problems before the
He’ll be retired after the Breeders’ Cup, I’m quite sure. We haven’t discussed that, but I think that’s what will happen.”
Kathy Ritvo, trainer of runner-up and beaten favorite Mucho Macho Man (No. 3): “The break cost him the race. I just didn’t want to break that bad and give the other horses a couple of lengths. He ran a good race. I was hoping he was going to catch him [To Honor and Serve], but he’s a tough horse to catch. He’s a good horse, To Honor and Serve.”
Mike Smith, rider aboard runner-up and beaten favorite Mucho Macho Man (No. 3): “We missed the break and didn’t get good position. The two horse started kicking the gate. I was standing good and when he started kicking it really messed my horse up. I thought I had it [when coming up to To Honor and Serve] but his horse dug back.”
Al Stall, trainer of third-place finisher Cease (No. 7): “He ran a good race. Joel said when he wheeled him out in the middle of the racetrack, he just got lost. We’ve noticed that before. Nobody did anything wrong, that was the place to be, but he just got out in the middle of the racetrack and kind of wandered a little bit. [Joel] said he had much more run on his mind when he was in the mix. Two really good horses beat us, so we’re very happy.”
Joel Rosario, rider aboard third-place finisher Cease (No. 7): “My horse ran a good race. When I started to pick it up, the horses in front of me kept going. I wish maybe I could have gotten him inside turning for him and saved ground, because I had to go around horses, but he ran a good race.”
