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BELMONT STAKES MEDIA CONFERENCEJune 4, 2009Calvin BorelChip WoolleyCALVIN BOREL: He looks good and everything. And I'm confident 100 percent that he'll win. Q. Are you backing off your win guarantee? CALVIN BOREL: No, sir. I'm going to ride him with so much confidence. I think that's why I win races, because I ride horses with confidence. And this is going good right now. And Chip told me he trained real good this morning, so I have no -- I mean, no excuses. Q. (Off microphone)? CAVLIN BOREL: Like I say, I just have to thank Chip and the owners for the opportunity to ride the colt back. I was stuck in the position where I had a contract to ride the filly. Ever since they won I thought she was the greatest horse in the country. I never dreamed we'd run against the boys. And after they sold her I got stuck in the position where I couldn't get out. The same people made the same contract with me. So I had to keep it. Like I say, I'm just grateful that Mr. Jackson got in touch with Chip, let him know enough heads up that he wasn't (indiscernible) with the filly. I'm blessed he gave me an opportunity to ride the colt back and got the job done. Q. You mentioned a contract to ride Rachel, what kind of contract was it? CALVIN BOREL: Kind of verbal with Mr. Jackson. Kind of written and verbal. You have to talk to my agent about that. But it was just I was going to ride the filly three-year-old campaign, until after she was a three-year-old. So regardless of whether we were going to run her, I told my agent I wanted to ride her no matter what, blah, blah, blah. And this was six races ago, before -- before mine ever come along. And believe me, he's the greatest -- he's at great as her. And it was just Mr. Jackson, we ran her in the Preakness and she won and he didn't think she was up to the test and whatever. Because I knew he was going to do right by the horse. So he gave me the opportunity to get back on the colt in enough time. And like I say, I'm happy that they waited for me. Q. How do Rachel and Mine That Bird compare? CAVLIN BOREL: I have no comments on that. I don't believe they'll face again. But that's up to Mr. Jackson. Q. (Off microphone) CALVIN BOREL: No, sir. I leave pressure home. No, I don't ride with no pressure, sir. Especially a horse like that. I know him like the back of my hand. I'm going to go out there riding my race and, like I say, I want to win the race for Chip and the owners because I owe it to them for giving me the opportunity to ride this colt and make my dream true. Winning the Triple Crown, might not be on the same horse, but it's very good to me and my career. And it's another milestone. And I'm very, very high on the horse because I love him. He's bred to go all day long. Quality of the horses in the race, I think we can overcome them. There's one horse in there. I mean, McClocklin's horses, he's the only horse probably has a little speed. But, like I say, I don't have to be out in the cloud like I've been, going to go a mile and a half. And if I can set his quarters like I want to, I think I'll be all right. You've got a long stretch here. He has about three eighths of a mile run, but has to turn afoot. I can wait as long as, most probably when I'm ready to go away, three jumps and then go. And I'm not going to be worried about that. I think I'll be in position at all times. I mean, especially about the half a mile pole, and then we'll just go from there. And I think from the eight pole home, he'll take me there. CHIP WOOLLEY: With this horse we kept him exactly the way we trained him in, the Derby to the Preakness. You're not going to get him any fitter than he is already. His main thing, we're big on long, long open gallops and that gives him that cruising speed. And the main thing we waited up was a little bit of finishing to help him finish, because this extra quarter of mile test's there. Don't think it won't. The main thing we worked on between the Preakness and here is that finishing down the lane. So just like we worked him there at Churchill, we started him off. Calvin did a great job starting him off at the half mile pole, 23 -- 13, 13, 13. And then jumped that number up to a 12. Passed the wire two 12s in a row, bang, bang, going away from there to really get him to finishing the run. And it really worked out great. The horse bounced back really quick. Q. Before the Derby, no one knew about you as a trainer, now you are a star, How does it feel? CHIP WOOLLEY: I don't know about being the star, but it feels good. It's a pinnacle in your career. So it feels great. And we're taking it all in. I'm just the same guy I was when I got here, just get a little bit more fanfare. So it's a great feeling, though. Q. Did you cringe when Calvin guaranteed victory? CHIP WOOLLEY: No. If he feels that strongly -- I speak my mind. I expect him to speak his. I've got no problem with that. Q. (Off microphone)? CAVLIN BOREL: That's what I mean. That's why I was, I wanted to thank Chip and the owners for the opportunity to ride the horse. Any horse in the race, I wouldn't pick any horse over him in the race. And I think I can get the job done because I think the colt will win. And, like I say, I start working Monday. He went so good for me. He did exactly what I wanted, like Chip said 13, 13s. Went the last eight and 12. Galloped another eight and 12 and 12. And he's on his game. That's why I am so high on him right now. A mile and a half, this horse, he'll come home in 23 and change, I bet you. So it will take a good horse to beat him come Saturday. CHIP WOOLLEY: We've backtracked him down past the end of the grandstands and went just a round and a half, pulled him up and jogged him back. Just a nice long gallop. Let him check out the surroundings, get a little feel for the racetrack. Although it's muddy and it probably won't be on Saturday. But just let him get a feel for his surroundings. Q. Do you remember the first time you saw the Bird? CHIP WOOLLEY: His legs went left and right was the first thing I noticed and kind of turned me off, to be honest. Mark asked me to go look up and at him. When I first went and looked at him, he's kind of a pretty colt. When they let him out and I looked at his legs, I kind of stepped back and eased away from him and called Mark and said, "Man, this horse is kind of crooked. I don't know. That's a lot of money." But I stayed and watched him trained and when you watch him train and get over the racetrack, it kind of changed, all your looking at him. He just moves so, so well. And we decided to take the gamble. Q. First impressions of Belmont Park? CHIP WOOLLEY: Belmont. I thought you said the bird. Speak up. Anyway, Belmont, it's a very large place. It's a little different when you walk up there, look at the oval, you can't see the whole thing. It's big. And I told them guys this morning, when he's been loping for about 15 minutes, I said: My God, he ain't going to make it all the way around there. But it's a neat place. Really have enjoyed it. The history here has been fantastic. So it's great to be a part of it. Q. How was Mine That Bird's first trip to the track today? CHIP WOOLLEY: Very well. Got over it just like he owned it. I was really surprised that the track was kind of deep and muddy and watching some other horses struggle by on it, it kind of made me concerned as he was backtracking, but when he turned and came by me, you couldn't hear him hitting the ground, I was really, really happy. Q. How was opening the NY Stock Exchange this morning? CHIP WOOLLEY: It was a neat feeling to be a part of something like that. I wouldn't be here without the horse. So it was really neat, really neat. CAVLIN BOREL: Had a fun time. Like he said, we wouldn't be here if it weren't for him. It was unbelievable. Most probably every, I don't know, every person's dream, every jockey's dream for sure. I know it's my dream. Very exciting. Me and my fiancee, my father-in-law and mother-in-law was there. Had a good time. Very, very good time. Q. How was the reception at the Stock Exchange? CAVLIN BOREL: It was awesome, I tell you what. Made me feel at home. Kind of looked like my family, really. Looked like they knew what I was doing and stuff. And, I mean, it was nice. It was very nice. CHIP WOOLLEY: It was exciting. It was really neat to know that the people out there really love racing as much as we do, that's really a great feeling. Really makes it feel good. Q. Are you worried about the 1-1/2 distance of the Belmont? CHIP WOOLLEY: I don't believe it will bother him much. He's handled everything we've asked of him with just the greatest professionalism. I think he'll handle it well. It could even play in my favor because of his attitude and his laid back way. I think of all the horses I've ever had, it would bother him the least. Q. How did Mine That Bird look when he arrived at Belmont? CHIP WOOLLEY: He's rested pretty well. Here he came in right away and laid down, rolled, got up, ate most of his feed. My night watchman said he slept quite a bit in the night. But he's kind of like a prizefighter. He likes to get up there clown around a little bit, too, but he's rested well and he's really bright eyed and seems on his game. Q. What makes Calvin such a great fit for the horse? CHIP WOOLLEY: His patience and his no-fear attitude. You've got to go into the race, any of these kind of races with the pressure that's brought to bear, you've got to go in there with a lot of confidence and patience and belief in yourself to do it. So he's the perfect match. Q. Did you think you would be here in this position? CHIP WOOLLEY: No, absolutely not. Never crossed my mind. Like I told Durkin yesterday, it was a major surprise. Q. (Off microphone) CHIP WOOLLEY: He flew out to Mandela. We trailered him from Woodvine to Kenlan and then he flew out to Mandela. Q. (Off microphone) CHIP WOOLLEY: Going backwards around the track. We went on the gap down here, past the wire and backtracked him down here. Q. Do you think NY could use slot machines or VLTs? CHIP WOOLLEY: There's no doubt. Horse racing's facing some very tough times all around the country. In the next year, you've got a big chance of losing maybe 20 percent, even more, of the racetracks around the country. You've got places like Hollywood Park and Golden Gate. Churchill Downs and they're all in serious trouble. I know from experience I wouldn't be here without slots because in New Mexico we were on our last leg before we got slot machines passed there. And the Sutherland Derby is the direct result of slot machines. And we purchased this horse specifically for the Sutherland Derby. My owners wouldn't have put the money out to be where we're at. So it's a very important thing. This place is probably surviving better than most in the economic times of a track that doesn't have them. But they really need them and it would be a great windfall to the state, just revenue to the state alone, much less to the horsemen and the racetracks themselves. I'm going to try to put it right around 7:30 we leave the barn. That's pretty much our normal day. End of FastScripts |
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