Saturday, October 13, 2012
ATHENIA (G3) QUOTES
Jimmy Toner, winning trainer of La Cloche (No. 1): "[Owner] John [Phillips] will be thrilled about [the graded stakes win]. That's all we've heard, 'Gotta get a graded stakes, gotta get a graded stakes, gotta get a graded stakes!' Thank God, maybe she can get out of her sister's shadow for a change. We're really happy for her." Note: La Cloche is a half-sister to dual Grade 1 winner Winter Memories.
"Junior [Alvarado] rode a great race. He really did. He just waited and waited and tipped her outside. She's got to get outside, and she exploded at the end. This filly is difficult to ride; you have to know her. If everything goes right for her, she can get the job done."
Junior Alvarado, winning jockey aboard La Cloche (No. 1): "I just was waiting for my chance to move outside because she never runs one step on the inside. That was pretty much what I was trying to work out first. She was able to swing outside by the quarter pole, and after that I won't say it was really easy, but she took off. She really helped me and gave me a nice kick at the end."
