DEL MAR, CALIFORNIA SATURDAY, JULY 25, 2009
EDDIE READ STAKES
(Grade I, $350,000, 9f – Turf)
COREY NAKATANI (Global Hunter) – “I think his race in the (Hollywood) Gold Cup set him up for this. I told A. C. (trainer A.C. Avila) that I thought going back on the grass was good for him. When Mike’s horse (Mike Smith on Thorn Song) ducked out (on the clubhouse turn), I just wanted to be relaxed and patient. When those things happen, you don’t want to lose your focus. It can cost you and your horse. He (Global Hunter) was traveling great and running real relaxed. He came running and that was that. I thought he’d run a big one today and I rode him with confidence. “
ALEX SOLIS (Awesome Gem) – “I got bounced around at the top of the stretch. It cost me. It cost me the race. I have no doubt.”
JOEL ROSARIO ( Whatsthescript) – “He put in his run. Today those other horses were just better than him.”
TYLER BAZE (Monterey Jazz) – “That other horse (Thorn Song) ducked so fast (on the clubhouse turn) I had to grab my horse. We were cruising; he was cool as a cucumber. I’m sitting in the garden (spot) and I’m loving it. Then Mike’s horse (Mike Smith) does his thing and as soon as I have to grab mine he’s gone. He just takes off and runs himself out.”
MIKE SMITH (Thorn Song) – “Man, did he duck! He just threw his head up and went. I knew he wasn’t hurt; he just saw something and he ducked. There’s a brick pillar over near there with yellow tape on it; maybe that was it. I did well to stay on. It’s a shame. He was cruisin’. If we keep going, who knows?”
A.C. AVILA (Global Hunter) -- “I’ve always had high expectations for this horse ever since he came to America. But one thing, then another happened to keep him from doing those things. I thought he had a good chance here. He had been training super.”
MIKE MITCHELL (Thorn Song) -- “He just bolted. He was right where I wanted him to be. I opened his blinkers a little bit for this race and maybe he needs full blinkers. We thought opening the blinkers would let him see other horses coming to him.”
FRACTIONS: :24.02 :47.18 1:10.11 1:34.12 1:46.24
The stakes victory was the second of the meet for Corey Nakatani and his fifth in the Eddie Read. He now has 96 stakes victories at Del Mar, second all-time to Chris McCarron’s 134.
The stakes win was the first of the meet for A.C. Avila and his first in the Eddie Read. This was his third stakes win at Del Mar. The victory was the trainer’s first in a Grade I race and he called it his biggest ever.
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