With 20 horses in the field and a sloppy racetrack, there was plenty of jockeying for position behind the fast pace and traffic when it came time for the stretch run.
Read on to find out what the trainers and jockeys thought about their horses in the first jewel of the Triple Crown and what the had to say about this year’s Derby winner.
“We saw something really great. That’s greatness right there. When he won his second race we were in [American] Pharoah territory.”
Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, comparing 2018 Kentucky Derby winner Justify to 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah
“Going into the race the main concern was just getting him out of the gate. This horse is so talented. I keep using the term ‘above average’ because he has a mind to him as well. It was a sigh of relief when I got him out of the gate and I just stayed out of his way. Bolt d’Oro came to my outside the first time by the wire and I figured if we were going fast up front, they’re going fast behind me as well.”
“I really thought I was going to get there. It felt great to be in the position I was in. My horse tried so hard and I can’t wait for his future. We had a great trip and he ran so hard.”
“I’m very proud of him. He attended a very fast pace. We knew going in that Justify looked like a big monster and we didn’t want to be too far away. Jose [Ortiz] executed it perfect. I asked him to follow him even if the pace was a little quick to keep him in close range. We thought he was the horse to beat and it was true. Very proud of our horse.”
Trainer Chad Brown discussing the runner-up finish by 2017 champion 2-year-old male Good Magic
“I had a perfect trip. That’s why I was looking forward to today, because I knew there was a lot of speed. He was the only horse that came from behind. I was proud the way he did it. He finished good; I’m satisfied the way he did it.”
“Audible ran best of our horses. Javier [Castellano] told me he couldn’t get going early in the race. He said the horse had trouble with the track and the kickback. He just couldn’t get him going. It’s frustrating when something like this happens. Javier said he thought he might have been on the best horse if he could have got going earlier.”
“I got slammed out of the gate pretty good. I would have liked to be a tad bit closer, but I ended up with a pretty good trip without getting stopped. I got in a little situation turning for home as I had to weave through a couple of horses but I got a clear run down the lane. He had a good chance to really run down the lane. He ran hard and good. Fourth is huge.”
“At the three-eighths pole, I had a wall of horses come back into me. He got stopped dry, stopped dry. My argument, in the end, would be that he probably would have been third.”
“I was surprised how good he handled the sloppy track. I got a good break and tried to stay as close as I could. I got a bit of a wide trip but it happens in a race like this. He moved very good on the far turn but horses passed me in the end.”
“It went pretty good at first, then horses came backing up in front of me and I had nowhere to go. I had to check him a little bit and after that he came back. When I asked him he was there, he was coming.”
“It started out really, really good. We had a good position inside. We were making up some ground and then on the backside we had to wait behind a horse that was stopping. We were forced to drop back and re-rally and that’s tough to do. We’re very proud of our horse.”
“He broke well. It’s tough obviously starting that far outside. We got into a good position in the far turn but just couldn’t make up that much ground.”
“I knew he was up against it, especially since we were going to try something different with him. You have to take a chance. He earned his way and he ran 10th and there were some good horses behind him.”
“We all had a thrill. Mr. [B. Wayne] Hughes was having a thrill and was like ‘wow,’ and we were all excited. I was excited. Then, when the real running started, he just didn’t have it. Victor [Espinoza] said he tapped him a few times and when he didn’t respond, he knew he was in trouble.”
“I had a great trip. I just didn’t have enough horse to run with them. I was where I wanted to be. I was stalking the favorite all the way around but I was pretty much done at the half-mile pole.”
“We just got bounced around a lot. Congrats to the top three, especially the winner, who’s a freak. My horse didn’t like the conditions today, but we’ll regroup.”
“He [Justify] was right next to us the whole way and we just weren’t able to hold him off. It was an unbelievable performance by the winner, on this track, going that fast. He never stopped. He may be a super horse.”
“My horse did not like the wet track. I was happy with the trip I had on the outside. I was about to take a good position but floated two-three wide on the first turn. He just didn’t handle the off-going very well.”
“The draw just crushed him. He went about a mile and a half today. There’s nothing anybody can do about it. The winner was brilliant. It’ll be exciting to watch Justify go on.”
“He broke and put his ears back. A couple of jumps after the start, everyone was on top of me and I couldn’t get the spot I wanted. We will see in the next race if he will be any better. I didn’t think liked the track either.”
Luis Saez, rider of Arkansas Derby winner Magnum Moon, who ran 19th in his first career defeat
“Magnum Moon, Luis (Saez) said he didn’t like the track at all. He said the kickback got to him.”
“He just got knocked over coming out of the gate and then he got knocked over again going into the first bend, but he’ll be fine. He was never used to getting that much kickback. It’s a totally different experience, you know, so, we’ll be fine. We’ll take him home and give him a break and come back [for the Breeders’ Cup Classic]. We’ll look forward to the Classic with him.”
Aidan O’Brien, trainer of United Arab Emirates Derby winner Mendelssohn, after his charge endured a tough trip in a last-place finish
“He got beat up out the gate and proceeded to check on the first turn and was never in a good place. The race was over (for him) then. The track condition did not bother him he had a rough trip early on.”
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