Belmont Stakes Quotes
Todd Pletcher, trainer of runner-up Dunkirk (No. 2): “He ran well. I told Johnny (Velazquez, jockey) the same thing I told him all week – we wanted him to get into his rhythm. He made the lead very easily and we were very happy with that. At the three-eighths pole, we thought he might have been lucky.”
John Velazquez, jockey of Dunkirk: “He battled every step of the way. He just got tired late, but he ran a huge race. He was definitely tired when I pulled him up, and he tied up. I hosed him down, and he seemed to be okay. I couldn’t believe I was on the lead early. There was no pace. The way he broke, he was already there on the lead, so I didn’t want to hold him back. I didn’t see Mine That Bird, and he came to me at the eighth-pole. Then, I got after my horse and he put up a real good fight and came back to beat Mine That Bird for second. He just ran his eyeballs out, but unfortunately, we just got beat.”
Chip Woolley, trainer of third-place finisher Mine That Bird (No. 7): “He looked good coming off the track. He was tired, he was used, but he looked all right. I want to congratulate Tim Ice. He’s done a great job with the horse. We’re a little down, disappointed right now. I thought he might have moved a hair early, but I haven’t watched the replay. He ran a great race. It’s been a lot of fun. We’ll give him a good eight weeks off and let him freshen up. We’ll aim at something on the East Coast.”
Calvin Borel, jockey of Mine That Bird: “I thought I had it won when I got to the quarter-pole. They came back to me pretty quick. When I moved, I was happy. No excuses. He ran his eyeballs out. He took me a little earlier. When I eased him out, the horses in front kind of stopped. He got out-run, no excuses. He had a lot of racetrack in front of him. He ran a good race. I don’t think he got tired. I might have let him get up earlier, but I wasn’t going to take the race out of him. Turning for home, I thought he was home-free. He ran his heart out. I put him position to win, and we just got out-run.. Don’t take anything away from the little horse.
(about guaranteeing victory): “No regrets. I thought I was on the best horse going in. I know he’s a good horse. He’s been five weeks, back to back. It’s been a good roll, and I wouldn’t change it for anything.”
Kiaran McLaughlin, trainer of fourth-place finisher Charitable Man (No. 6): “It was a pretty fast pace going that far. I was confident he was going to run well. He ran well, but I thought he was good enough to win, so it’s disappointing.”
Alan Garcia, jockey of Charitable Man: “He ran good, my horse. I saw Dunkirk; he went to the lead and I was waiting.. I saw Summer Bird make a move and I said, `OK, it's time to go.’ My horse kept going, and then he got tired. He ran a good race and I'm happy with the way he ran.”
D. Wayne Lukas, trainer of fifth-place finisher Luv Gov (No. 5) and sixth-place Flying Private (No. 8): “No [excuse] that I can see, it’s sort of tough to watch it live. I want to see the replay. I don’t know if we got a track that was conducive, but I don’t want to make any excuses, I would rather watch the replay first and see what it looks like. You know, when you watch it live up there and a mile and a half it’s pretty hard to find them out there. I thought that horse was live that won it and I thought Dunkirk ran a beautiful race. It wasn’t all that surprising, I thought Summer Bird had an excellent chance the way he’s been closing and we’ll salute the winners and rack ‘em up next year.”
Julien Leparoux, jockey of Flying Private: “I had a very good trip actually, but my horse didn’t get there for me - I just ran out of horse.”; Miguel Mena, jockey of Luv Gov: Unavailable for comment.
Eoin Harty, trainer of eighth-place finisher Mr. Hot Stuff (No. 3): “Edgar (Prado, jockey) had him in position to win, but ultimately, it wasn’t good enough”
Edgar Prado, jockey of Mr. Hot Stuff: “When Summer Bird made that move on the turn, no one was going to catch him.”
Jerry Hollendorfer, trainer of ninth-place finisher Chocolate Candy (No. 1): “He pulled up good, but we had no excuses. We ship out on Monday.”
Garrett Gomez, jockey of Chocolate Candy: Unavailable for comment.
Nick Zito, trainer of seventh-place finisher Brave Victory (No. 10) and 10th-place finisher Miner’s Escape (No. 9): “Brave Victory -- I don’t know where, he got stepped on, but he’s got a big gash on his knee. He’ll be okay. He was moving nice the first time and he might have been a little closer. I’m not making excuses. Rajiv said Mine That Bird made a pretty quick move on them. I’m not taking anything away from the Birdstones [NOTE: Winner Summer Bird and third-place Mine That Bird were both sired by Birdstone, who won the 2004 Belmont Stakes with Zito as his trainer].
“I was kind of surprised that Dunkirk took the lead. You know, I think if Miner’s Escape got that spot we might have run a little better but he had no excuse. The horse stumbled a little but he recovered pretty quick. I'm not making excuses, but he had a bad break.”
Jose Lezcano, jockey of Miner’s Escape: “He had a fair trip, he put himself in a good spot where I would want to be. I thought I had striking position and at the end I don't know if he got worn out or whatever, but he just didn't have the winning touch.”
Rajiv Maragh, jockey of Brave Victory: “I had the time of my life! I had a good trip and he put himself in a good spot, unfortunately he just didn’t have that winning punch. I’m a little disappointed, but he tried hard and I can’t be too mad at the horse or myself, it’s not everyday, you can’t win every race, but we had a fair shot at it.”