BREEDERS' CUP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

October 29, 2005

Garrett Gomez

GARRETT GOMEZ: Definitely. He absolutely run a perfect race today. I actually had a little trouble up the backside. One of the European horses wheeled out about the five-eighths pole. I clipped his heels and went back and jumped down inside and saved some ground. He handled everything like a true professional. That's what it takes with these two young horses. He's got a great mind. After that, my trip was perfect. I pushed a button when I turned for home, he was there for me, and did exactly what I needed him to do.

GARRETT GOMEZ: When I left the gate, actually left her in good shape, four jumps away, half the field had me outrun. I had to ask him to get up on his feet up the side. All the way up the backside, he had himself in a good spot. We were saving ground, got to the turn, had a good trip. I just had to wait. When I found somewhere to go, I said let's go, and he did what he was supposed to do also.

GARRETT GOMEZ: You know, I've always known I've had the talent to get it done. It's just getting my life in order. And getting my priorities straight, and it seems, you know, I've been working really hard to do that. Seems like I'm getting on the right track. When I hit the wire, I never had a feeling like it and it was, you know, I couldn't believe I actually won my first Breeder's Cup race. I was so thrilled and when I talked to Donna Barton after the race, she said, what's it feel like? I said, I feel like I need to cry. It means that much. And even now, I'm like kind of cracking because it's like all of a sudden I just was working throughout the day and doing my job and trying to focus, and on my next race and all of a sudden Artie Schiller jumps up and wins two, it's like unbelievable. Through what I've been through to be where I was before today was unbelievable, and to do what happened or get done what happened today, I had no words to describe it. I mean, you know, I'm glad I found a higher power that looks over me the way he does. With the program I'm in, they tell me by doing the right thing, my life will get better. They didn't tell me it would get like this.

GARRETT GOMEZ: I thought he bothered me. I had plenty of room when I started in there. When I got there, I had no room and I felt like, you know, I hadn't got to see the film or anything at the time. I didn't know how far he came in or maybe how far Lost In The Fog might have came out. I was focused on a hole, when I got to the hole, it closed, and I felt like my path was taken. I thought it cost me the race.

GARRETT GOMEZ: I believe so. He's got all the ability in the world. He's got a great mind on him. He's got a body like a five-year-old. Really a mature horse and he takes everything in stride, everything we've asked of him he's done, you know. When I won the Del Mar for Charity on him, Breeder's Cup wasn't in my mind. He had a red wreath on. I told the owner at the time, I told Merv Griffin, his words were the wreath was roses. I said I could see him wearing them. Ever since I sat on his back, I knew he was very talented. I think he can be the one.

GARRETT GOMEZ: Well, I had to hit a bottom like I've never hit before. I had a lot of things taken out of my life and one of them was my family. And then next one was my job. Put my job in a lot of jeopardy. I didn't know if I was ever going to be able to ride again. They told me to do certain things. At first I didn't think they would help and, you know, it took what it took to get me to pay attention and to realize what was going on. And once I realized that, and they put these consequences in front of me, and I seen how bad my life could get. At the time my life didn't look that bad. If I just did what they were telling me to do, by doing what they said, and taking some suggestions from people and doing these things, my life as steadily gotten better. And I was able to first get my family back, and my job back, and the rest, you guys have watched unfold.

GARRETT GOMEZ: He left the gate in a good shape, put me in the race. There was a horse on my outside. I don't know who it was. He was putting pressure on me. I was uncomfortable the way he was putting pressure. He was seeming to have to work more than I wanted him to. I eased him back out of there. We headed to about the five-eighths pole, half mile. I thought I was good shape. He was about eight wide, going into the turn. I didn't like it. I dropped to the inside, asked him to pick up ground, he did it. I moved him out of the top of the stretch. He gave me about a 50-yard run. Nothing seemed to be bothering, nothing like that. Didn't seem like he had his A game.

GARRETT GOMEZ: Thank you guys, very much.