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PEGASUS WORLD CUP INVITATIONAL

January 25, 2020

Hallandale Beach, Florida

Mucho Gusto

THE MODERATOR: Ready to go. Hi, everyone. Thank you for joining us. Press conference here for the Pegasus World Cup. We're going to start with the dirt. We have winning jockey Irad Ortiz and winning assistant trainer Jimmy Barnes.

Irad, we'll start with you. Boy, it seemed pretty easy in the stretch for Mucho Gusto.

IRAD ORTIZ: Yes, after the quarter pole, it was pretty easy. He just take off. I was a passenger. They do a great job, Bob, his team. They do an unbelievable job. He broke good. He take me all the way, every step of the race, waiting for that moment. I just called him, and he was there for me.

THE MODERATOR: You, I read, have had a phenomenal championship meet here at Gulfstream this year and just recently crowned an Eclipse Award champion rider. What does it mean to add the Pegasus World Cup to the list of already phenomenal victories you've had?

IRAD ORTIZ: It means so much to me in my career. I work so hard. I try to win all kinds of races. Last year I win the turf Pegasus. Thank God this year, I was able to win on the Pegasus dirt.

I'm so happy. I want to thank my agent for doing a great job. I want to thank the owners and the trainer for staying there for me and keep helping me every day.

THE MODERATOR: A win last year with Bricks and Mortar, last year's horse of the year.

Jimmy, you and Bob have seen the Pegasus Winner's Circle with Arrogate. It must be great to be back here.

JIMMY BARNES: Absolutely. Bob did a great job of getting this horse ready. I think our stable on a layoff is just like no other. We can get a horse ready quick. Bob saw something in his last work, and he said, hey, get ready to go. We're going.

THE MODERATOR: This horse has been knocking on the door in some of his recent starts. Where did the confidence come from to try this race?

JIMMY BARNES: Well, we were going to be fresh, and he seemed to really run good fresh. He had a long hard campaign. We did a lot of traveling this summer. He just needed the freshening up, and he got it, and he responded from it.

THE MODERATOR: I imagine it's very validating to see him break through in a race like this?

JIMMY BARNES: Absolutely. I traveled so many times this summer just to nibble. It's hard to nibble.

THE MODERATOR: Tell me how it came about to have Irad Ortiz aboard this weekend.

JIMMY BARNES: Bob started working on that early. Thank God he did. His agent picked up the mount, took the mount, and I'm just so happy for Irad. He just rode him -- he did everything we asked him to do.

THE MODERATOR: A phenomenal victory for sure. Any questions from the media for either of our connections here?

Q. Irad, is that pretty much the way you envisioned the race in your mind?
IRAD ORTIZ: To be honest, I thought I was going to see third -- probably third, fourth. But in the clear, I got the outside post. So it all worked out well. He broke in front of everyone. I looked -- I think I was going into the lead because he broke so well. So I take a chance, I pulled into the race. He was in front. I take the lead.

Bodexpress sits second, and then by the middle of the turn, I can see Mr Freeze make the lead. He was coming a little faster than me. So I just say, well, I'm already here. I don't want to do nothing crazy, just ride my horse and let him relax.

Q. Jimmy, as you were watching that, were you thinking of the race being over?
JIMMY BARNES: I was thinking, well, okay we got down on the inside, and I was maybe a little concerned at that point, but when I saw him start to ask him, my worries were over because he was responding.

Q. Irad, what does it mean to win a big race for Bob Baffert? Is this a connection you hope they'll give you more opportunities based on this?
IRAD ORTIZ: It's great. I've been for a long time trying to ride for him. He's a special guy, one of the best around, one of the best I've ever seen. I want to ride for those kinds of trainers. I want to ride for everyone, don't get me wrong, but I want to stay close to him, close to everyone.

All the trainers, they help me every day, but he's a special guy. He always talks to me. He's a humble guy. He always talks to me. We laugh sometimes. It just feels to me like he's a nice guy, so I want to ride to him, and thank God today we get it done in the race and get the Pegasus. I wish to win a race for him, and I win this one. So I'm so happy right now.

THE MODERATOR: How excited was your daughter? It seems like Sarai stole the show at the Eclipse Awards. She's your photographer right now.

IRAD ORTIZ: (Blows a kiss). They are my -- you know, I do everything for them. I'm glad. I'm blessed right now to have two beautiful daughters. I love them. So I'm going to keep doing it until I can't. I hope God keep me healthy for a long time to keep doing what I do and give them a good life.

THE MODERATOR: Anything else you two would like to add? I think we've covered it.

IRAD ORTIZ: Thank you very much.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you very much, Irad Ortiz and Jimmy Barnes, for joining us, and congratulations to Mucho Gusto.

IRAD ORTIZ: Thank you. So happy to win this race. Thank you.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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