JAMAICA HANDICAP (G1) QUOTES

Saturday, October 6, 2012

 

JAMAICA HANDICAP (G1) QUOTES

 

Pearl Hagadorn, assistant to winning trainer Mike Maker, of King David (No. 2): “Mike saw this horse at Saratoga, and lost a shake [to claim him] there, so he claimed him at Belmont. He looks for an athlete that he thinks can improve with his program, and he’s brilliant at it. And then, Rosie put up a great ride.”

 

Rosie Napravnik, winning jockey aboard King David (No. 2): “I assumed I probably would get a stalking trip, and we sat in a great spot. I was able to save ground on the first turn. The turf is a little bit soft, so I took him to the outside. He just put in a very game effort. He’s a horse I’ve been on a few times on the morning, and I always loved the way he went. He has a great demeanor, and he tried as much as he could.”

 

“King David is a horse I breezed in Saratoga under a different trainer. Mike does such a good job with horses that he claims, and this is just a very good example. This horse ran awesome.”

 

“I was on a private plane with Ramon [Dominguez] to New York last night. He had ridden the horse before and had won on him, and we were just talking about the race he was running in. I said, ‘You know what? Mike does this all the time. He’s very good at turning it around, turning horses over, and doing a great job with them, especially on the turf.’”

 

Eddie Castro, rider aboard runner-up King Kreesa (No. 8): “I had a good trip. I got to the front easy. [Trainer Jeremiah Englehart] told me, ‘Be close to the lead and try the best you can.’ And that’s what we did.”

 

Joel Rosario, rider aboard beaten favorite and fifth-place finisher Dullahan (No. 3): “It looked to me like he had a little hard time [with the ground]. He was fine early, and when I rode him he tried to pick it up, but maybe it’s a little slippery.”