BloodHorse.com

BREEDERS' CUP THEY SAID IT

NOVEMBER 5, 2006

"When Invasor ran the fever last month and could not compete in the (Jockey Club) Gold Cup (G1), I told Sheikh Hamdan, this might be a blessing in disguise because as these two guys (Bernardini) were to hook up in the Gold Cup, give each other a hard race, then we might be giving the Breeders' Cup away to somebody (else)."

—Rick Nichols, vice-president and general manager of Shadwell Stable, which owns Classic (G1) winner INVASOR (Arg) (Candy Stripes)

"With the fact of winning the Classic, it would be very tempting to go retire him, but it's also very tempting to win the Dubai World Cup (UAE-G1) in Dubai next March. So that will be (Sheikh Hamdan's) decision to make once we've had time to think about things."

—Nichols on future plans for Invasor

"Everybody wanted to ride Invasor (after he won the Pimlico Special [G1]), and we stood firmly behind Fernando (Jara). He did a great job, he's a great rider, and we knew that he wouldn't bail off of us at the last minute like sometimes happens, and we wanted to support him, give him a good opportunity, to give him a good start. He's a great kid, and obviously he can ride the heck out of a horse."

—Nichols on keeping Jara on Invasor

"He has no fear and is never nervous and rides very well with those colors on."

—trainer Kiaran McLaughlin on Jara's ride aboard Invasor

"I just want to give everything I've got every day. I want to work hard. You learn something new every day. I'm thankful for all the support the owners and trainers have given me over the years."

—Invasor's rider, Fernando Jara, who became the youngest jockey at 18 years old to win a Breeders' Cup race

"I thought (Bernardini) is a a great horse, but there was one better today, and Invasor has only been beaten once, and he's obviously a great horse, too, and hopefully we'll look back and wonder how I got him beat in Dubai because that's the only time we lost."

—McLaughlin

"It's a very special win again for the greatest owners in the business, the Maktoums. These are the greatest people in the business and they're great to work for."

—McLaughlin

"The highs and lows in this game are like today what we encountered being the favorite and being last in the Sprint (G1) and winning the Breeders' Cup Classic. The highs and lows are extreme in this business, but we try and stay on an even keel. It was a great win."

—McLaughlin on finishing last with favorite Henny Hughes (Hennessy) in the Sprint before winning the Classic with Invasor

"I'll find out in a couple of days whether Sheikh Hamdan is retiring (Invasor). Obviously, I hope they leave him in training next year. Both Invasor and Henny Hughes are exciting stallion prospects. With Henny Hughes being beat, I'd have to think there's a good chance he'll come back next year as a four-year-old. If he had been sprint champion, there would have been nothing left for him to accomplish next season."

—McLaughlin

"Well, I feel like I'm very lucky. I'm one of the lucky ones with MS (multiple sclerosis). I'm able to keep going on a regular basis. I don't walk as well as I used to, but this is the best medication you could have, winning a $5 million race. But MS has entered my life and I've handled it the best that I can. I'm lucky I have a great team of people with me and a support group in my wife and kids and family."

—McLaughlin on his battle with multiple sclerosis

"It looked at the three-eighths (pole) that (jockey) Javier (Castellano) was asking him more than he had been in his previous races. (Bernardini) was banged around a bit early but he came on with his run. Invasor had more luck than we had today, but you can't take anything away from him. This was no disgrace for us. We've had a great year."

—trainer Tom Albertrani on favored BERNARDINI (A.P. Indy) running second in the Classic

"I don't know what the future is going to be, if he's going to race next year or not. It would have been nice to see this horse win and be champion three-year-old and it meant being Horse of the Year perhaps. It's a little disappointing, but I'm so happy the horse put in a good effort. He tried. That was the main thing."

—Albertrani

"Honestly, I figured Bernardini was the horse to beat. I never thought Invasor would win off that layoff. (Invasor) proved that he's no fluke. My horse ran an A-race and it just shows he belongs."

—trainer John Kimmel on PREMIUM TAP's (Pleasant Tap) third-place run in the Classic

"I'm really pleased with his race and the way he ran. The Mosses (his owners) and I are tickled. His whole career has been like a magic carpet ride. This was his last race and he'll now go to stud."

—conditioner John Shirreffs on 2005 Kentucky Derby (G1) winner GIACOMO (Holy Bull) after his fourth in the Classic

"I really thought there would be a lot more pace but it (my plan) was just like the Derby (G1) -- sit back, make one big run. We did. He ran dynamite, they just didn't go quick enough. I look forward to riding his babies."

—jockey Mike Smith on his ride aboard Giacomo

"The plan was to get out clean and let him run his race, which (jockey) Alex (Solis) did perfectly. It was a tough race, but he had everything his own way. A lot of good horses beat him and we have no excuse."

—trainer Dan Hendricks on Classic pacesetter BROTHER DEREK (Benchmark), who finished fifth

"It was throwing him in at the deep end, but he ran a blinder. (Jockey) Mick (Kinane) said, 'The way he traveled, I'd love to ride him again on (dirt),' but it's his last race. He did what we thought he would, and traveled well into the straight, but it was his first time on dirt, and first time beyond a mile.""

—trainer Aidan O'Brien on European champion GEORGE WASHINGTON's (Ire) (Danehill) sixth in the Classic

"I'm a little disappointed with the result, but I'm proud of how he ran and how he tried. I'm just hoping he will be able to come back fine and go on from here."

—conditioner Doug O'Neill on Classic seventh LAVA MAN (Slew City Slew)

"This is not a game of secondary awards and of course, I'm not happy with not winning a race, but the idea is to get your horses ready and to have them run well and for the most part, my horses did run well today. There were a few disappointments along the way, but overall, I'm happy with what occurred."

—trainer Todd Pletcher on not winning one Breeders' Cup race with 17 entrants

"He was never in it. He just went out for a gallop today."

—jockey Kent Desormeaux, who rode Classic 12th-placer SUAVE (A.P. Indy)

"He was beat before I could blame it on anything."

—jockey Jamie Spencer on DAVID JUNIOR (Pleasant Tap), who was eased in the Classic

"At the five-eighths pole he just went out of the race, stopped running. I don't know why and the jockey doesn't know why. (Jamie) said there was no kickback, no problems. He seemed to be going along just right, and then he went out like a light."

—trainer Brian Meehan on David Junior

"Tough day at the office! (Better Talk Now) ran huge. He's so game this horse. Everyone had written him off. This is not a fluke. He's just that good. We finally got what we needed. We got pace. We got the distance. We got a great ride. I'm very emotional. I just finished second in two Breeders' Cup races. I never would have imagined being disappointed with two seconds in the Breeders' Cup, but I am."

—trainer Graham Motion on BETTER TALK NOW's (Talkin Man) runner-up effort in the Turf (G1); his FILM MAKER (Dynaformer) had finished second in the Filly & Mare Turf (G1) earlier on the card

"(English Channel) was in a tough post (10), but that wasn't the problem. I had a beautiful trip. He kept getting hit by the horse inside of him and that made him a little rank. He kept throwing his head around, and once he did that, it was going to be hard to win."

—jockey John Velazquez on Turf third-placer ENGLISH CHANNEL's (Smart Strike) trip

"(Hurricane Run) really likes a long stretch, and when I asked him to kick it in, he did not really respond as he has in the past."

—jockey Christophe Soumillon on Turf sixth HURRICANE RUN (Ire) (Montjeu [Ire]), who disappointed as the near 3-1 favorite

"(Cacique) was in a good spot, but the difference today was he was more keen and pulling me. He never relaxed. I took him to the outside on the backside, but he pulled me every step of the way."

—jockey Edgar Prado on CACIQUE (Ire) (Danehill), who turned in the worst performance of his career when 10th in the Turf