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BREEDERS' CUP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

October 30, 2015

Lexington, Kentucky

THE MODERATOR: All right. Ladies and gentlemen, now we are joined by the winning jockey and trainer from the Breeders' Cup Distaff, Javier Castellano and Todd Pletcher. This is Todd's second Breeders' Cup Distaff win to go with Ashado in 2004. Congrats to you both.
Javier, let's start with you and talk about the trip that you got much better than last time at Saratoga. Just tell us about the trip.
JAVIER CASTELLANO: I had a beautiful trip in the race. And the way they handicap the race, we supposed to [indiscernible] before the race. I see a lot of spin. I like to start a good position in the race, especially in the first turn. A lot of horses, a big field.
It worked out perfect. I go out of the gate, I put it in full position, all the way in the race in the backside. I think the key was in the first turn where I put the horse head right behind the Wedding Toast and put it outside. All control the race, I think it was the key to win the race.
THE MODERATOR: You did come out a little bit in the stretch. Can you just tell us what happened there in the final‑‑
JAVIER CASTELLANO: You cannot hear. Breeders' Cup is a lot of big crowd, a lot of people. The screen board, you know, it's so bright. And all the motion, I think the filly, she is just kind of shy a little bit, just drift a little bit. But you always just try to keep my horse straight.
I think the other horses locking into and here right on top of my horse. My goal was to keep a straight horse and move forward.
THE MODERATOR: Todd, now I'd like to hear just about how this race unfolded differently today from in the Personal Ensign.
TODD PLETCHER: Well, to me, the real key was the decision was not to run back after the Personal Ensign. Having the benefit of knowing this filly for the third year now that we've trained her, two, three and now four. She tends to run some of her best races fresh.
I felt confident that she would train well enough that we could have her ready to run a big race and felt like if we ran in the Spinster or the Beldame or one of those races in between that she might not fire her A shot.
She's a very easy filly to read. When she's on her game, she trains exceptionally well, and I felt really confident after a breeze here on Sunday that she was coming into the race as well as she could.
THE MODERATOR: And even before that, in New York, she touted herself in the last few‑‑
TODD PLETCHER: She had the benefit of being here since September 30th, so she'd had a full month here. When they decided to have the Breeders' Cup here at Keeneland, we felt like we'd change strategies a little bit and try to get most of the horses here and let them acclimate for the month, at least for today it paid off.
THE MODERATOR: We talked to Kiki about the acquisition of this filly, and she said she talked to you, and can you just tell us a little bit from your perspective what you told them a year ago when they showed some interest, that she was already in your barn, of course. What did you tell them then?
TODD PLETCHER: She had won the Coaching Club in the Alabamas as a three‑year‑old. I was actually a little surprised that a lot of people kind of overlooked her at the Fasig‑Tipton sale last year. So when she didn't meet reserve, Mike Repole struck up a deal with them.
As happy as I am for the Courtelises, I feel a little bit bad for Mike because he's a great client and I'm sure it's not easy for him to watch her win at the same time. But he was well compensated and so he'll have some more Breeders' Cup for himself, I'm sure.
THE MODERATOR: Can you just give us some quick impressions of your other two in the race, Curalina ran big to get third.
TODD PLETCHER: Actually, I thought she ran huge. She was making a big move splitting horses down the back side. When a seam opened up on the rail, I thought they might battle it out. Joel, talking to him afterwards, said he thought she was just a little bit intimidated when things got tight and lost her momentum a bit. I thought it was a huge effort from her. She's an awfully good filly as well.
Got lucky. I got to see the replay. I know Irad was trying to make up some ground. From the 12 post, he was kind of hung out wide all the way around there. She ran just a bit evenly around the stretch.
THE MODERATOR: Very good.

Q. The decision to bring the horses here early and why that change in strategy?
TODD PLETCHER: Well, the past few years, it's been at Santa Anita. And New York to Santa Anita is a tough trip, not only for the horses, but for me as a trainer to be back and forth.
So I felt like that our results the last few years haven't been as good as we were hoping for. So because it was at Keeneland, it's an easier commute. We felt like we had confidence that the track would drain well if we had a wet fall and that it might be an advantage to be here and train over the track.
It worked out well today. Who's to say they wouldn't have run the same if they shipped in from New York. But feel good about the decision right now.
THE MODERATOR: Todd, we weren't able to catch up with you earlier about Liam's Map. Can you give us impressions about that incredible effort?
TODD PLETCHER: It was an amazing effort. I think everyone sort of knew, coming in, that he's a horse that has a lot of early speed and he's brilliant at times and sort of his strength has been he runs horses off their feet. He's the type of horse, he's so fast that if you try to go with him, it's suicidal. If you let him go, you got no chance of catching up.
Today, for him to overcome some adversity and still win as impressively as he did, now he's kind of put the whole package together. Speed and brilliance and courage and everything you're hoping for in a good one.

Q. Are your two wins today an omen for tomorrow?
TODD PLETCHER: I felt like today, we had some of our best chances, and people have been kind of asking me who is your best chance. I said the fillies in the Distaff are training well.
Liam's Map is certainly going to be our shortest prize. I think Rachel's Valentina is doing exceptionally well. She's a filly we've always liked a lot.
Tomorrow a couple fillies in the Sprint, that's a very tough race. They're both doing very well. It will be a tough race to win. Red Rifle and Mshawish, the turf races look as good as I've seen. The depth of the European form is really, really strong.
But any time you come into these events and the horses are running well and race day won early on the card, makes you feel good at least about your preparation and hopefully you've done your part and put them in the best position to perform as well as they can.
THE MODERATOR: Any last questions for the Breeders' Cup Distaff winners? Gentlemen, congratulations and thank you for your time.
TODD PLETCHER: Thank you.
JAVIER CASTELLANO: Thanks a lot.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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