$80,000 LURE STAKES QUOTES

$80,000 LURE STAKES QUOTES

JOCKEY QUOTES

MIKE SMITH, SUMTER, WINNER: “This horse in the morning he has so much ability, he can probably outrun everybody in the morning. But for whatever reason in the afternoon, he hasn’t really given it. We always knew that he had it in him. Today he finally gave me that race that I knew he had in him. “He is just quirky, he just wants to run in weird places, so when there is no pace it’s awkward for him. He has won on the lead, but he doesn’t really have that turn of foot when he is on the lead. If he is covered up he always wants to pull if they go too slow. Today, I just had to put my hands down, let him relax. I never moved on him, and even when I moved him, it was a little early, but he was right on top of them. He’s just the kind of horse that needs pace. These mile races are good for him.”

TRAINER QUOTES

RICHARD MANDELLA, SUMTER, WINNER: “I tried to run him fresh with few workouts in his first (start this year). The second time out in (GIII Green Flash going five furlongs on turf), he just needed that extra eighth of a mile. But they don’t have six-furlong turf at Del Mar. He was sharp and that was what was there to try. This looked awfully good, this restricted stake, and we have had luck here before. “I was watching him after he pulled up, and he looked like Michael Jackson coming off the racetrack. They do know (they won) sometimes.

NOTES: The winning owners and breeders are Perry Bass II and Ramona Bass.