BREEDERS' CUP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

November 3, 2023

Junior Alvarado

Santa Anita Park

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Junior Alvarado, and, Junior, what an impressive performance from Just F Y I. Now 3-for-3 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. Take us through the trip because it always looked like you were always in a perfect spot.

JUNIOR ALVARADO: She broke very well today, and I knew I had to use it a little bit just to make sure to stay forward since I was breaking from the 12 hole, and she was there the whole way for me.

By the half a mile pole I was excited. I knew what I had under me. But I had to respect a little bit the filly in front. She's a very nice filly too. At that point I thought I had a good chance at it. Right when I turned for home and I asked her, she took off very nicely and held off all the way to the wire.

THE MODERATOR: She looks like a big filly. Is it sometimes kind of difficult with the tight turns for her?

JUNIOR ALVARADO: She's a very leggy filly, yes, but she's very quick underneath me. She moves very quick. If I ask her to go to the lead today, she probably would have done that easily with no problem. But going to turn first time, I want to make sure I save a little bit for the end.

THE MODERATOR: You and Bill Mott teamed up last year for a Breeders' Cup win, and now again today. Just kind of explain to us your relationship with the Hall of Famer, Bill Mott, and putting you on horses like this.

JUNIOR ALVARADO: For me, just amazing just to be in this path like this, to be able to ride all those nice horses that he trains. Just to be honest, I'm glad to be part of the team.

Like I say, he gives me so much confidence every time I ride his horses. I know what he wants. I know what he really wants in every horse that I ride for him. So it's kind of easy for me to ride my horses the way he wants.

THE MODERATOR: Questions for Junior, please.

Q. (In Spanish)?

JUNIOR ALVARADO: I say the filly, she broke good, and for me, once I saw the filly Tamara was in the lead, it was kind of easy for me to sit right off since I want to make sure I have a target for my filly. She's never been on the lead so, I didn't want to rush it and make her do something she'd never done before.

She was doing it for the first time two turns, so I didn't want to overdo too many things at once that she didn't know. So it kind of worked out the whole way like that. The turn for home, she started moving nicely, and she put the other filly away.

THE MODERATOR: We're joined by owner and breeder George Krikorian. Not only special to win a Breeders' Cup race as owner, but breeder as well. Take us through the story of Just F Y I.

GEORGE KRIKORIAN: The story is I bred her, and look what happened today.

THE MODERATOR: A man of few words. A big day today. California is kind of home for you. I know you usually breed a lot of California breds, but this filly -- so what made you decide to go to Kentucky and to Justify?

GEORGE KRIKORIAN: Well, I have a farm in Kentucky, and I have a band of mares. One of my mares has been in the family a long time. Her dam was a Grade 1 stakes winner named Star. She won multiple Grade 1 races here at Santa Anita.

Then her mom was a winner. She had a physical injury, so her career was cut short. So she was the one that produced our horse today.

THE MODERATOR: And here you are today. One quick question, please, for Mr. Krikorian.

Q. Between the two big wins at Aqueduct with this horse and War Like Goddess and now today, have you ever been on a run like this before as an owner?

GEORGE KRIKORIAN: No, it's incredible to have won three Grade 1s at this level. It's just been incredible.

It's also incredible having Junior ride all these horses because he does such a great job.

JUNIOR ALVARADO: It's easy to do the job when the horses are fast and nice.

GEORGE KRIKORIAN: The way he placed that horse today, it was phenomenal just to lay out the lead, and you were able to save her to run down the stretch. It was just great. Thank you.

JUNIOR ALVARADO: Thank you.