Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Distaff Quotes

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Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Distaff Quotes

            Rafael Bejarano (jockey, Ginger Punch, 1st) – “I was a little worried about out post and being inside. I knew the three (Tough Tiz’s Sis) had speed and I followed her. She (Tough Tiz’s Sis) went to the outside and I stayed inside. I just tried to keep the dirt out of her face. In the stretch, we got squeezed by the 12 (Hystericalady), but I always knew she would come back.”

Chad Brown (assistant trainer to Bobby Frankel, Ginger Punch, 1st) – “She came down a couple days ago from Belmont. Bobby said ‘leave it up to Rafael (Bejarano). He’s ridden the horse so well.’ This filly has come a long way. Bobby never lost confidence in her. I’m so happy for the filly. We’ve had her since she was two. She’s a real tough filly. At one point of the race it looked like she went into the rail. She’s tough and has always been a fighter.”

            Eddie Castro (jockey, Hysterical Lady, 2nd) – “She tried the whole way.  I lost position a little on the first turn and then coming into the stretch, I had to get around the six (Bear Now).  I didn’t know whether to go inside or outside.  We bumped a little in the stretch.”

            Jerry Hollendorfer (trainer, Hysterical Lady, 2nd) – “We lost. I wanted to win. That’s why we’re here. I’m not going to get into that (the post), I don’t have any excuses.

            Garrett Gomez (jockey, Octave, 3rd) – “It was a good run from her.  When I came off the turn, I actually thought I had them, but she kind of idled on me a little.  I got within about two lengths and she just flattened out on me.  I had to fight my way through some spots and take what was given to me.  Every time I needed her to hit a hole, she did it.”

            Todd Pletcher (trainer, Octave, 3rd) – “I thought we had a big chance to run them down and she was trying at the end.  She just couldn’t quite get there.  It took her a while to get going.  She was really climbing the first part, and that little bit of position probably hurt her from that initial onslaught of slop hitting her in the face.  She got a beautiful trip from that point on. She was working her way up and down the first three-eighths.  Once she leveled off, she ran great.”

            Calvin Borel (jockey, Lady Joanne, 4th) – “She ran well, but she had a little trouble with the track. When I asked her, she struggled a little bit, but she ran very hard against some of the best fillies in the country.  Hopefully, she’ll come out of the race okay and we’ll be back next year.”

            Carl Nafzger (trainer, Lady Joanne, 4th) – “She ran very well. She’s just a racehorse – she always runs hard. She wasn’t giving up today. We didn’t have any plans where we’d be, or just how the race would set up. I wish she could have relaxed a hair more, but she got into it pretty good.”

            Barry Irwin (owner, Unbridled Belle, 5th) – “She can’t run in this stuff but we own a half-sister to Ginger Punch.  It takes some of the sting out of this blow.”

Eibar Coa (jockey, Lear’s Princess, 10th) – “She just hated this track today. She was never comfortable.”

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