POSSIBLY PERFECT STAKES QUOTES

JOCKEY QUOTES

UMBERTO RISPOLI, MRS. ASTOR, WINNER: “I play it the way it comes up. I knew Kentucky Gal was supposed to be on the lead and the other one (Starry Heavens) was right beside her. I tried to keep my outside clean. I knew Hector (Berrios, rider of runner-up Mahina) was going to ride the rail. He finally found the rail and left me with a hard job. But how the race played, I thought she made a wonderful effort. She did just enough to win the race.”

TRAINER QUOTES

JONATHAN THOMAS, MRS. ASTOR, WINNER: “She is such a cool filly and reliable. Things were against her today with the cut back and the kind of paceless race. It turned into a tactical affair and the last eighth of a mile and she came up with the goods. We are just so proud of her. We are really blessed to have her.

“I think any horse going a route of ground is better when they get a chance to drop the bridle which is very important. I think the real important thing was it turned into a sprint the eighth of a mile home and while she seems like she has a turn of foot, she doesn’t have that miler turn of foot. So that played against her that way. But Umberto (Rispoli) rode her with a lot of confidence and tactically did all the right things.”

NOTES: The winning owner is Augustin Stables.