GRADE I, $500,000 SANTA ANITA DERBY STAKES QUOTES

GRADE I, $500,000 SANTA ANITA DERBY STAKES QUOTES

JOCKEY QUOTES

UMBERTO RISPOLI, JOURNALISM, WINNER: “That’s such a good animal to be able to get out of there. It’s rare for a horse to get held up at the three-eighths pole and to get back in the race in that way. It’s always difficult, especially for such a big horse. But he has such an amazing style and is just an amazing horse. “I was trapped on the fence, and I thought, ‘Wow, this isn’t looking good.’ I knew my only way out was to push Barnes a little bit, I got through. This is just a great animal. Not many horses that big could make it out of there especially on a track like Santa Anita’s. I have to give credit to Michael (McCarthy) and all the guys in the barn. It’s an amazing time for everybody.”

HECTOR BERRIOS, BAEZA, SECOND: "He is a baby still and loses focus. When we got to the stretch, he started lugging and lugging. I thought, 'Come on now.' Then when he felt the other horse (Journalism), he came back."

JUAN HERNANDEZ, BARNES, FIFTH: “He was training really well. He just didn’t run his race. I thought he would improve after the last race. I think he will show up in the future.”

TRAINER QUOTES

MICHAEL MCCARTHY, JOURNALISM, WINNER: “It’s pretty exciting. It’s a huge day on the Santa Anita calendar, a huge day on any calendar or any kind of Derby before the Kentucky Derby, so to go ahead and be a part of this and be lucky enough to win. It is special. “He had me worried for a jump or two. Special horse.

“I saw a little bit of adversity today which you saw around the far turn. It took him a little bit to get his feet under him but once Umberto was able to wheel him outside, he started getting him through his gears. He started to pick it up towards the end, leveled off nicely and he looked like he finished up well and galloped out well.”

JOHN SHIRREFFS, BAEZA, SECOND: "He ran super."

BOB BAFFERT, CITIZEN BULL, FOURTH: “I was discouraged (Citizen Bull) didn’t get the win today. He got tired. He’s a heavy horse. The track was deep today. We will figure this out. We have a week and then we’ll decide what is next. That was pretty impressive win by Journalism. He’s a very good horse and he has the right style. Mike McCarthy has done a great job with him.”

BOB BAFFERT, BARNES, FIFTH: “We have to regroup. That happens.”

OWNER QUOTES

ARON WELLMAN, ECLIPSE THOROUGHBRED PARTNERS, PART OWNER, JOURNALISM, WINNER: “We knew we’d have a target on our back today. He announced his presence in the DK Horse San Felipe, He was on the rail today and facing two Bafferts, two Shirreffs we knew that they were going to be riding us and they did. For him to overcome that adversity today it just proves what a spectacular horse he is. Credit goes to Michael and his team as you well know these people live and breathe this industry, sport this business, morning, noon and night…Don Albert (part-owner) bred a beautiful horse, it was just a lot of good energy and the horse is doing all the talking for us.”

NOTES: The winning owner is Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Bridlewood Farm and Don Alberto Stable Elayne Stables 5 LLC, Robert LaPenta, Mrs. John, Magnier, Derrick Smith and Michael Tabor.