Jockey Talk; 2013 Kentucky Derby Quotes

After Orb and jockey Joel Rosario placed first in the 139th running of the Kentucky Derby on May 4, 2013, the losing jockeys had a chance to express their opinions on why they didn’t place better. A few jockeys blame the sloppy track, others simply express gratitude for the opportunity to run in the 2013 Kentucky Derby.

2013 Kentucky Derby Jockey Quotes

2nd place Robby Albarado & Golden Soul: “It was great. I thought I had a great chance turning for home. I saw Orb up there. I’m just thankful for the opportunity. It’s amazing to get the opportunity. It was stop and go. I was comfortable with the pace. Stop and go just a couple times. I got a great inside trip. I got him out. He came running.’’

3rd place Calvin Borel & Revolutionary: “The only thing I wish I could have done on the far turn was creep up closer on him. Turning for home, I still thought we had a shot to win but he gave me a good turn of foot.”

4th place Normandy Invasion & Javier Castellano: “I was in mid-pack. That’s what I was looking for. The pace was very fast. I was mid-pack and saved all the ground in the first turn. As I figured out my trip, I was keeping track of Verrazano. I had a beautiful trip today. I was very excited turning for home. I thought I was going to win the race. But at the eighth pole my horse didn’t respond. I didn’t have it today.”

5th place Rosie Napravnik & Mylute: “I really had a great trip. Tom’s (Amoss) instructions were to just let him fall out of the gate. Run like he likes to run. So I was a little further back than I had hoped to be going into the first turn. We were right inside of Orb the whole way and I knew we were in good shape. We did have to go around but it was a clear run. It was an exhilarating feeling at the quarter pole knowing that I had a shot. I have never wanted to win a photo for third so bad in my life. The horse ran great and the best part is I think he’s really going to move forward off of this and I’m looking forward to his next race. He is really the right type of horse for these classic distance races and I’m really excited about his next race because he’s really growing into a very nice racehorse.”

6th place Gary Stevens & Oxbow: “Coming into the stretch, I had a big smile on my face. I’m going to win my fourth. But five strides later, I was attacked from the outside for a couple strides, and they went on. He was brave. He never gave it up at all. He ran all the way to the finish line and galloped back proud, and I’m proud of him.’’

On coming out of retirement and riding in another Derby: “I’ve got a smile on my face I can’t wipe off. It was fun. It was fun, because he ran his race. He got a chance today, and he fired a big bullet, and that’s when it’s fun, when you get a good trip in this race and the horse is giving his all. And he did.’’

7th place Ryan Moore & Lines of Battle: “The horse ran very well.”

8th place Jon Court & Will Take Charge: “I’d have to say what it was like was a lot of fun, without a doubt. I had a good break, ground saving first turn, the transition was smooth. I think adequate to where we’d be able to make that big close. We started to engage turning for home, then he kind of started coming back and tailing. He was still picking up tired horses, but he didn’t have that big kick, turn of foot, and I just started maneuvering through horses that were stopping in front of me.”

9th place Edgar Prado & Charming Kitten: “He broke good and I was able to get right in and I was saving ground the first turn. We went by horses on the backside beautifully and in the second turn, same thing, I was able to save ground. At the quarter pole I didn’t have any kick left and he stayed steady. I was glad with the way he ran. I wish we could have run better.”

10th place Jose Espinoza & Giant Finish: “He didn’t handle the track very well. I had great position all the way around but he just wasn’t getting a hold of the track.”

11th place Rafael Bejarano & Overanalyze: “I was going good, then I got hit and bumped at the half-mile (pole). It threw him off. Then we got going again and he came running in the stretch. But it was too late.”

12th place Mike Smith & Palace Malice: “He just was too aggressive. Those blinkers. He just wanted to go and I didn’t have much choice.”

13th place Julien Leparoux & Java’s War: “As expected we were in the back. But after that I found the winner on the backside and followed him and made a run with him but just couldn’t do it.”

14th place John Velazquez & Verrazano: “We had a good trip. I just don’t think he liked the track. He was already in trouble on the first turn when he was trying to get a hold of the track. He was kicking a lot and overworking to keep up.”

15th place Elvis Trujillo & Itsmyluckyday: “He didn’t run his race. He just didn’t like the track.”

16th place Victor Lebron & Frac Daddy: “We had a good time out there. We had fun. He broke good and everything. We had a clear break to the first turn but by the three-quarter pole. I just didn’t have anything.”

17th place Kevin Krigger & Goldencents: “I was comfortable where I was. I didn’t want to be up there with that :22 and :45 business. He just didn’t get there.”

18th place Garrett Gomez & Vjack: “He broke in (toward the infield) on me. I think he was ducking from the crowd. He was all wound up; I couldn’t get him to settle. I tried to stay back, but he had to go. I let him out a bit in order to try to let him even out, but it didn’t work.”

19th place Luis Saez & Falling Sky: “My trip was good, he broke good and had good position. He got tired.”