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BREEDERS' CUP WORLD THOROUGHBRED CHAMPIONSHIPSNovember 1, 2014Erich BrehmKent DesormeauxJ. Keith DesormeuaxWayne DetmerLee MichaelsGene VossARCADIA, CALIFORNIA THE MODERATOR: Ladies and gentlemen, the winner of the Sentient Jet Breeders' Cup Juvenile was Texas Red. This is the first time in history that a tandem of brothers, trainer and jockey have won a Breeders' Cup Race. Congratulations to all of you. On the right is trainer Keith Desormeaux, of course Kent Desormeaux rode the horse, and if I could have three of the five co‑owners introduce yourself starting from the left. WAYNE DETMER: Wayne Detmer. LEE MICHAELS: Lee Michaels. ERICH BREHM: Erich Brehm. THE MODERATOR: Congratulations to you all. Incredible performance. Kent, I want to start with you. If you could just describe the trip for me, and then especially the finish. Were you expecting for it to end up like that? That was a pretty awesome performance. Take us through it. KENT DESORMEAUX: He was so far back, there was nobody in his way until the quarter pole, so it was a pretty uneventful trip. My only true decision in the entire race was approaching the quarter pole, I had a horse that was slowing down in front and to the right of me, and I didn't know whether to go around him and just have an unadultered trip, because I had so much horse. So just buy another 200 yards and stay inside of him. I elected to stay inside and take that chance, and it worked out really well. Because all Texas Red did was bottle up and conserve more energy. When I swung him out, didn't really need much riding. He, as the Europeans say, once I presented him, he just bellied down and extended his stride. Full of power. THE MODERATOR: This was Kent's fifth win in a Breeders' Cup Race. But for Keith, easily the biggest win of his career. Couple years ago he won at Grade 2 at Fair Grounds. But Keith, just tell us about this horse, and as well as what you're feeling today? KEITH DESORMEAUX: I feel pretty good, for one. What was the questioning? THE MODERATOR: How are you feeling? KEITH DESORMEAUX: We've had five chances, and this is the first one. But this is always going to be the sweetest, I'm sure. Kent and I were always confident with the way the horse was training, and just when you watch the fractions and you see the whole court. The whole Breeders' Cup court seems to be won by horses on the lead. You're just hoping that you get enough of a pace to run at, and that happened. That happened. It's hard to describe. THE MODERATOR: Keith, tell us how you got this horse. You picked him out? KEITH DESORMEAUX: We got him at Keeneland, and I'd tell anyone that wants to listen, I still don't realize how we got him for such a price, because he was a physical masterpiece even then. Very correct, very confident, very intelligent looking. All of the things that we look for as horsemen in trying to acquire a good animal. So very surprising, very surprising that we got him for that price. Maybe it's because Afleet Alex was a little bit on a cold slide, but it shouldn't matter. THE MODERATOR: You had said earlier this week that Afleet Alex and this horse in particular might take a while to mature, so maybe this was the culmination of that, but talk about how he's come around. KEITH DESORMEAUX: I think that's what was going through my mind when you asked me the first question. Yeah, the reason this horse seemingly put on an impossible performance, but it's not that. He's just not precocious. He's not small and speedy. He's big and growing into himself every day. And what you're seeing is a culmination of semi‑maturity. He's going to get better. Q. Does this mean the Road to the Kentucky Derby goes through Texas? ERICH BREHM: Can I answer that? Okay. It does now. THE MODERATOR: Keith, maybe you could talk a little bit more about that. Obviously, now you have what I would guess would be the Kentucky Derby favorite. Just talk about what goes on from here? It's still a long ways away. But you have to think about the Classics? KEITH DESORMEAUX: There is no doubt. That's why we're in the game. The first thing that comes to my mind is that the horse has done above and beyond what we asked of him this year, but yes, he'll be the Derby favorite, at this point, I would think. So he's earned a rest. He's earned a couple of months of taking it easy. He'll probably remain in my stable here at Santa Anita, but there won't be‑‑ you don't want to wheel him back in three weeks at the Delta Jackpot, do you, Erich? ERICH BREHM: I'll take that one. No. KEITH DESORMEAUX: So he's earned some rest, and we'll take‑‑ we say it goes through Texas, but the series of races in California onward through the Derby have always been so successful, so why would we deviate from that? THE MODERATOR: Keith, in the last few years, your stock has gradually improved, and you've gotten some new owners. Can you just talk about how your career has progressed over the last few years and some of the owners that you have that have helped you get to this point? KEITH DESORMEAUX: I've never been the greatest promoter in the world, and to get to the bottom line, all it takes is money, and I've got a great, great enthusiastic, number one supporter somewhere out there. I don't know where Matt Bryan went, but Matt Bryan has thrown some money into the game, and that's why I feel like I've always had the potential to find a good horse. I just needed the money to get there. And Erich joined the team a couple of years ago, started off with some moderate success. And I grabbed him by the neck and said, "Now we're going to Keeneland." And that's how we got this horse. THE MODERATOR: Erich, could you talk about how all of you got together and your connections to one another? ERICH BREHM: So I would say it started with Keith a few years ago with Gene. Gene and I claimed a horse with Keith. Then we went on to buy some, and Keith is really being humble, because between the Juvenile Fillies and the Juvenile, three of the horses in those races were purchased by Keith at modest prices. I mean, he is outstanding, right? While it's taken some time, he's going to get us through it, because he's terrific, right? And he's a terrific trainer and a terrific guy. THE MODERATOR: For those that don't know, Keith actually also picked out Private Prospect, who was claimed in his first start, right? KEITH DESORMEAUX: Where did he finish? KENT DESORMEAUX: Don't worry about it. Doesn't matter. ERICH BREHM: Anyway, the partnership was put together, Gene and I have been partners on a few horses. And last year at Keeneland, Keith picked out three horses for me. We decided to take one and put it in a partnership at a very modest price, and Wayne and Lee jumped in, and Keith told me. It was kind of interesting, because Keith has never asked to be part of one of the horses before. But he said to me, "I really want to be a part of this horse." And I said, "Okay, great, you're in." It's been just a terrific ride. I think one of the notes that you guys may like to know is as a yearling, Texas Red's training partner was Cozmic One, Zenyatta's baby. And that was because Texas Red was big enough to train with that horse. Maybe it did us some good. THE MODERATOR: Kent, you had a rough fall. You got injured and actually were all out to get back in time for the Breeders' Cup. Just talk about what this win means to you and coming back this fall? KEITH DESORMEAUX: Now you can tell the truth where you're really hurting. KENT DESORMEAUX: Never, never. It's been about a week. I don't even know I have ribs and now I certainly don't. I think this goes without saying that this is just the culmination of a lifetime of horses in our back yard. Our mom and dad, we owe a lot of credit to, besides Keith and his genius of acquiring these animals. But we've done it all our lives and this is what we know. I got to ride them and stayed small, and Keith has the eye and education. But it's great being on a brotherly loving team. THE MODERATOR: Either one of you or both, could you just talk more about growing up in Louisiana and being with horses at a young age and your folks? KENT DESORMEAUX: That will take a book. KEITH DESORMEAUX: No, maybe that's where the parent‑‑ you say about proper upbringing, when you have a proper upbringing, that means you have the capacity to learn. And it was pretty rough and tumble in our beginning days in the equine industry. If you think it ends there, then you're in trouble. So we've looked forward to bigger and better things. We had the capacity to learn. That was only ‑‑ we were just getting our teeth wet there. THE MODERATOR: Anything to add there, Kent? KENT DESORMEAUX: Well, everybody knows we're polar opposites. KEITH DESORMEAUX: Did I say teeth wet? KENT DESORMEAUX: I'm the kind of guy who's going to bang every door and look under every rock for a new horse to ride. But Keith has been the kind of person that just likes to show it on the racetrack. So I would compare him to Richard Mandella. That's a really, really big compliment. Mandella never says a word, but he wins four a day on Breeders' Cups, and it's Keith's turn in the future. THE MODERATOR: To get back to the owners a little bit with your backgrounds, if you could tell us where each of you are based, as well as a bit about what you do professionally in addition to how you got interested in racing? LEE MICHAELS: I have kind of an exciting story, because we passed on the partnership when Erich first offered it to us, and my husband bought it for me for a present. So I cannot even imagine if we had passed and not been here today. So thank you, Erich and thank you to my husband, Paul. I live in Dallas, and Erichs wife, Janet, was my daughter's kindergarten teacher. So that's how we got involved. I'm just learning how to be an empty nester right now. First horse ever. WAYNE DETMER: The reason I got into it was because my dad had always had been in the racing business before, and he tried to get some winners and to no avail, he wasn't able to get it. So when this was offered to me through Erich, he approached me with this, I snapped at the chance because I saw who the players were. THE MODERATOR: We had a late arrival, this gentlemen. GENE VOSS: I've raced horses for years. I never thought I'd have a Breeders' Cup winner, and I'm happy to have one. There is nothing like luck. Q. Keith, what about winning with your brother? KEITH DESORMEAUX: We've answered that question. Q. He did, you didn't. KEITH DESORMEAUX: It's obviously something special. I was going to say something else, but it makes the success all the more enjoyable when you have that success with your family. It does help that he's a Hall of Fame rider and you have the brotherly thing. Yeah, man, step it up a notch. Q. Keith, did you give Kent any instructions in the paddock or anywhere before the race? KEITH DESORMEAUX: Absolutely not. Maybe I just gave him another clue as to how the horse was doing. I said, "Man, he's very confident and calm. He seems mentally right." Kent just said, "Shut up, man. I'm as confident as he is. We're good." KENT DESORMEAUX: He did go to post differently than in his last start. He was a little edgy last time; and today, he was toy, as they call it. And today he walked all the way around the racecourse, entering the stall, the starting gate, heel toe, heel toe. He was walking like he was the man. THE MODERATOR: Congratulations. KENT DESORMEAUX: Thank you all. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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