Kentucky Derby 135 Post Draw Quotes

Apr 29, 2009 by Churchill Downs Notes Team

The following quotes and comments were collected by the Churchill Downs Notes Team following the draw for post positions for the 135th Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (Grade I), to be run on Saturday, May 2.

ADVICE (Selection No. 13, Post position No. 4, morning line 30-1)
DUNKIRK (Selection No. 6, Post position No. 15, morning line 4-1)
JOIN IN THE DANCE (Selection No. 1, Post position No. 9 morning line 50-1)

Trainer Todd Pletcher on Dunkirk
“We talked about it this morning and our first choice was 15. So we got what we wanted. I was a little hesitant about going in next to Pioneerof the Nile (who picked fifth and selected No. 16) because I know he doesn’t always come out of there the right way. But 15 is a good spot. You’ve got some room there (it is the first opening in the auxiliary gate with space to the inside) and being outside you can fall into a good spot. We’re happy with it.”

On Join in the Dance
“Well, we thought about it a lot – sort of. Then when you know that Rashard’s jersey number is 9, you’ll know why we picked it.” (Rashard Lewis, a 10-year veteran of the NBA who currently plays for the Orlando Magic, wears No. 9 on his basketball jersey. He is one of the horse’s three owners along with Jake Ballis and Reagan Swinbank.)

Elliott Walden, vice president and racing manager of WinStar Farm, on Advice
“We like it. It’ll be fine. We like the selections for all our horses.” (The other two WinStar horses drew on either side of Advice – Mr. Hot Stuff in No. 3 and Hold Me Back in No. 5.)

ATOMIC RAIN (Selection No. 9, Post position No. 14, morning line 50-1)
WEST SIDE BERNIE (Selection No. 20, Post position No. 1, morning line 30-1)

Trainer Kelly Breen on Atomic Rain
“It’s a good post for him, just outside the speed. It should be OK.”

On West Side Bernie
“It is what it is. I’ll get together with Stew (jockey Stewart Elliott) and we may have to change our tactics.”

CHOCOLATE CANDY (Selection No. 3, Post position No. 11, morning line 20-1)

Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer
“It’s good; good. I would rather have had the 10, but 11 is the next best thing. We’re happy.”

DESERT PARTY (Selection No. 17, Post position No. 19, morning line 15-1)
REGAL RANSOM (Selection No. 2, Post position No. 10, morning line 30-1)

Trainer Saeed bin Suroor on Regal Ransom
“That’s a good draw. The horse always shows a good turn of foot. He can take a good position early in the race. It depends how fast they go, but if he sits close behind the lead I’ll be really happy.

On Desert Party
“He’s been more calm and relaxed in his races. If he can take a nice position, I’d be happy with that. I’m happy with the draw.”

FLYING PRIVATE (Selection No. 19, Post position No. 20, morning line 50-1)

Trainer D. Wayne Lukas
“I went outside. There are four or five horses inside of me that aren’t speed horses. I feel like we’ll be able to get a better position. In reality, probably 100 yards out of the gate, we’ll probably be in the 14 or 15 post. I don’t think it’s so bad, but I really didn’t have much of a choice.”

FRIESAN FIRE (Selection No. 11, Post position No. 6, morning line 5-1)

Trainer Larry Jones
“I was surprised the six was still left. I thought there would be more speed horses to draw inside. Right now we are in good shape. We had the five last year with Eight Belles and worked out a great trip. He should be laying anywhere from third to fifth early and suck back behind the speed and hopefully get a clear run when the real running starts.”

GENERAL QUARTERS (Selection No. 8, Post position No. 12, morning line 20-1)

Owner-trainer Tom McCarthy
“I was really worried we wouldn’t get in the middle where we wanted to be, but it all worked out. Post 12 ought to be just fine. I’m hoping we’re sitting 3-4-5 going into the first turn right behind the speed horses.”

HOLD ME BACK (Selection No. 12, Post position No.  5, morning line 15-1)

Trainer Bill Mott
“We would have had to go, I think, to 17 or inside.  Who knows? I didn’t want to be in the one, two or three. Sometimes you take a lot of pressure down in there going into the first turn. You can have a good trip from anywhere and a bad trip from anywhere. It’s a little hard to determine until the gate opens. We’re satisfied with the draw.”

I WANT REVENGE (Selection No. 10, Post position No. 13, morning line 3-1)

Trainer Jeff Mullins
“I kind of left it up to the owners to pick. I’m just going to concentrate on getting him ready and getting him there safe. Ideally we wanted most of the speed inside of us. That’s what we tried to do, but there’s maybe one outside of us. But we’re here to play and hope our horse stays healthy and everyone has a nice trip. I haven’t given (jockey Joe Talamo) any instructions so far, so I don’t think I’ll start now.”

David Lanzman, managing partner of I Want Revenge
“We could see where it was going; we could see the direction it was going. We wanted the 14, but they took it right in front of us. We just wanted to avoid a disaster. We didn’t want one, two, three, four and we didn’t want 17, 18, 19, 20. So, we couldn’t be happier.”

MINE THAT BIRD (Selection No. 7, Post position No. 8, morning line 50-1)

Trainer Chip Woolley
“Everything is super. We were hoping for six through nine, and wound up with eight. Where we’re at, he’ll get a chance to settle without being jostled too much on the far inside going into the first turn.”

MR. HOT STUFF (Selection No. 16, Post position No. 3, morning line 30-1)

Trainer Eoin Harty
“It’s good, sure. We’ll save lots of ground.”

MUSKET MAN (Selection No. 18, Post position No. 2, morning line 20-1)

Trainer Derek Ryan
“Well, he broke his maiden going from the two hole, so it should be OK. And anyway, we can’t change it.”

PAPA CLEM (Selection No. 4, Post position No. 7, morning line 20-1)

Trainer Gary Stute
“It went perfect. Lucky No. 7 is what we were hoping for. I was hoping more of the speed would be inside us, but I think it will work out. Then again, if he blows out (three furlongs) in 34-and-change tomorrow morning, I might have wished we put him even farther inside.” Note: Papa Clem will work 3 furlongs Thursday at 6:15 a.m.

PIONEEROF THE NILE (Selection No. 5, Post position No. 16, morning line 4-1)

Trainer Bob Baffert
“It all depended on the draw. When I got the five-draw, I said I’m going to go to 16. If I had had a higher number, I might have gone inside with him. He hasn’t had that dirt experience, so there will be less dirt on the outside than there will be on the inside.”

SUMMER BIRD (Selection No. 14, Post position No. 17, morning line 50-1)

Trainer Tim Ice
“I’m happy with the post. Once he breaks, he should be able to drop over toward the inside and get good position into the turn.”