Turf Sprint Quotes

Breeders’ Cup World Championships

Quotes for the $1.195 Million Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint

Saturday, October 25, 2008

Richard Migliore (jockey, Desert Code, 1st) – I just dropped my hands early and let him relax because I knew they were going fast up front. I didn’t want to start to move until we crossed over the dirt, which is where a little bit of my experience riding out here helped. When we turned for home, I thought we had a chance of getting something. But when we got to the sixteenth pole, I thought ‘shoot, we’re going to win this thing’.

“This is so overwhelming. I can’t express myself on how I feel. I always had faith in this colt.”

David Hofmans (trainer, Desert Code, 1st) – “I thought we’d be closer but when I saw a 41-and-change half, I knew we had a chance. He was so far back, but Richie (Migliore) did a great job. He deserves all the credit. The horse really bounced out of his last race. He’s never been better and he loves this course. This is his fourth win over it.”

Frankie Dettori (jockey, Diabolical, 2nd) – “It was a good run. That horse (Desert Code) came out of the blue and got us. I thought I’d won it. He ran super, just unlucky.”

Saeed bin Suroor (trainer, Diabolical, 2nd) – “He ran a big race. I have to be happy with the way he finished. I thought for a second that we won the race. We knew it was going to be a tough race, but he was doing so well, even when he was in England, so I was very confident. I thought before the race that we would win it.”

Shaun Bridgmohan (jockey, Storm Treasure, 3rd) – “I had a great trip. I had to go around them. He's that kind of a horse. Once you get him going, it's hard to stop and go again. I thought he ran tremendous."

Steve Asmussen (trainer, Storm Treasure, 3rd) – “He got a great run. Shaun (Bridgmohan) gave him a good trip. He put him in the best position he could be, and he made a nice run and made it a very exciting race.”

John Murtagh (jockey, Fleeting Spirit, 4th) – “She ran well. I took her inside and got through the gap. The horse on the outside (winner Desert Code) was just too good. She’s just a 3-year-old filly (Fleeting Spirit). She’ll be a top-class sprinter next year.”

Jose Valdivia Jr. (jockey, Get Funky, 9th) – “He just never jumped into the bridle today. It is very disappointing because he had been training well, and I thought he was going to run a big race. They were flying up front, which is to be expected with this caliber of horses, but he just never got into the bridle and never gave me his run.

Jamie Theriot (jockey, Mr. Nightlinger, 11th) – “My horse left there really well. The second jump and I was out front by myself. When we made the first turn, he (California Flag) came up on my inside and my horse kind of got aggressive with me. I'm not going to say I would have won the race, but I would have lasted a lot longer. He lost his footing once we hit the main track. He went over it fine a couple times during the warm up, but galloping and running over it is two different things.”

####