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BREEDERS' CUP WORLD THOROUGHBRED CHAMPIONSHIPSNovember 5, 2010Kent DesormeauxWilliam MottGary SeidlerCHURCHILL DOWNS, KENTUCKY ERIC WING: We're joined now here in the interview room with the connections of Unrivaled Belle, winner of the Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic. From left to right we have with us winning rider Kent Desormeaux; trainer Bill Mott; Gary Seidler, who is the co-owner, along with Peter Vegso. Gary is the co-founder, and Peter the president of Health Communications, which is the company, the organization behind the "Chicken Soup For the Soul" series, long-running, successful books, based out of Florida. First, Kent, watching the race on television, it looked around the far turn like you were shot out of the proverbial cannon. Would you take us through the trip. KENT DESORMEAUX: The best part was I hadn't even turned her loose yet. She was really full of run. She'd been doing that in the morning her last couple of works. She just -- under a hold, she squirts off and just takes it to them. But then, you know, she takes a breather, and she's still full of run. I think leaving the gate she got herself in a nice position. She's always quick from there. She gets rid of a lot of trouble by breaking smartly. What she surprised me most of all was the way she sat behind horses like a European horse and just turned off. I wasn't certain whether I had horse or not, but I wasn't going to worry about it. We had a long way to go. I figured it was time to let her, you know, at least engage. Not go like she did, but at least engage. I presented her, peeled her out around the half-mile pole. She didn't exactly jump into the bridle. I left her alone, and about 50 yards after that she started pulling. I let her cruise out, and the next thing I know I was blowing by them, and I had her in restraint, I thought. I kept her withheld until the 3/16 pole. Man, when I turned her loose, she skipped fourth and fifth and she went straight to seventh gear and just flattened out, took off and really had a turn of foot like a grass horse. I was very, very surprised. She was full of run. ERIC WING: I neglected to mention earlier the margins. Unrivaled Belle prevailed by three-quarters of a length over Blind Luck, who was a length ahead of third place finisher Havre de Grace, and seven lengths back to the fourth horse It's Tea Time. Kent, did you sense Blind Luck bearing down on you late? KENT DESORMEAUX: I love the jumbotrons. I hate to say it, I started watching TV at the 1/8 pole. I was some three and half then. I looked again at the 1/16 pole, and I was some 2 1/2 then or 3 still, 3 1/2. She was still powering in the wire. There was no give in her stride. And at that point, I was very, very confident that she would win. I put the stick down and let her carry me under the wire. At this point, I think I'd have to thank Billy for allowing me to play on his team and Peter for having faith in me and letting me ride his horses. ERIC WING: Bill Mott, congratulations. Breeders' Cup win number six for you. Your third Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic victory. This was no field of slouches Unrivaled Belle was in against. It was a tough field, including a lot of talented 3-year-olds. However, one hallmark of Unrivaled Belle all year has been her consistency. Seems like she's always right there, whether she wins or not. What's been the key to keeping her so good throughout the balance of the campaign? WILLIAM MOTT: We just spread her races out and given her time in between races to stay fresh. You know, she's a light made filly, and we never tried to get too greedy and run her too much. We were disappointed it's taken us a while to get to the Grade 1 winner's circle. She did it on the right day. She was -- you know, I'd have to say she showed up every time we let her over there. Even in defeat, when she ran, you know, her last three times and was second, she ran good, hard, credible races. You know, it was a big one today. I think maybe the key, you know, she relaxed a little better today. And for whatever reason, like Kent said, you know, when she put it in gear, I mean, she left them for dead leaving the 3/8 pole. I mean, it was over. ERIC WING: It's Breeders' Cup win number four for Kent, who last won in '07 with Corinthian in the Dirt Mile. It's Breeders' Cup win number one for co-owners and co-breeders Gary Seidler and Peter Vegso. Congratulations. Can you tell us about the mating that caused you to breed your mare Queenie Belle to Unbridled's Song and all the ups and downs you may have had since then. GARY SEIDLER: Gary asked me to help him out with that when they had Queenie Belle, and they had some rather smallish babies. When I was thinking about what might work out really well with Queenie Belle, we needed a big stallion. Unbridled's Song sort of fit that to a tee. We went there, and, God, we got it right. Every now and then, you do get it right. Once in a hundred, once in -- you know. Anyway, it was -- it was a fun thing from the beginning, and it feels absolutely fantastic now. We're blessed. We're blessed to have guys like Bill Mott and Kent riding with us. We have the horse whisperer Kenny, who is with the horse, you know, because she can be a little bit tough. Where is the horse whisperer? Kenny is around someplace. And all the other staff. ERIC WING: And you guys enjoy not just the racing end of the business, but obviously also the breeding end of the business. Have you given any forethought, either since the race or ahead coming into the race, about what Unrivaled Belle's future might be for 2011? GARY SEIDLER: We're going to run her. Who let the dogs out! Woof. ERIC WING: I guess that answers that. Questions either from upstairs in the press box or here in the interview room, and we'll start with Lenny. Q. Bill, we all saw what she could do here. Was it at all frustrating getting second since then? Did you do anything special getting her ready for this? WILLIAM MOTT: We really didn't change anything. We brought her in early enough and let her train here and schooled her in the paddock. That's always been a key for her to get her familiar with the surroundings. If we can get the saddle on her and get her over to the gate without taking too much out of herself. As I say, she's been a tough filly. Kent knows her. He's done a good job with her. Even in defeat, I think we -- you know, were we frustrated? Yes. We were frustrated because we want to win, and that's the name of the game. But I think we never walked away from one of her races where we thought that, you know, she didn't try and we didn't do our best. Just timing is everything, and it all came together at the right time. Fortunately, you know, there was enough gas in the tank from all those hard races over the course of the year, and she was -- you know, she was there for us today. Obviously, you know, she showed an affinity for the surface here, and that's got to be a big part of it. ERIC WING: Bill, on Kentucky Oaks day, you and Kent dealt the terrific filly Rachel Alexandra a loss here on this racing surface, obviously. Was that kind of the day when you knew not just maybe we could get Unrivaled Belle to the Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic, but maybe we stand a good chance of winning the thing? WILLIAM MOTT: I think at that point we really believed in her. I think after the race, I think there were some naysayers that thought maybe Rachel Alexandra's losing a step. Maybe she didn't lose a race. I think Rachel Alexandra ran a super race on Oaks day. I think our filly came to the forefront and outgamed her. I mean, they had a good hard game horse race that day, and our filly prevailed. I don't think anything should have been taken away from Rachel. As good as we know she was, I think we realized we had a top filly after Oaks day. It was just a matter of putting it together again on the right day, and this happened to be the right day. ERIC WING: Kent, if my memory is correct, you were kind of adamant along the lines of what Bill just said, that maybe Unrivaled Belle wasn't getting her due, it was being chalked up as an off day for Rachel Alexandra. Does this mean, as a result, serve as some sort of vindication, at least for the horse? KENT DESORMEAUX: I think, if you look back at the races where she was second, the horses that beat her freaked that day. I think we've turned the corner in 1/8 and change, the mile and 35. We weren't waiting for anybody. Actually, the horse in front of me wasn't waiting for anybody. Unrivaled Belle still laid her body down and tried to catch her. With that being told, you know, they might have beat Unrivaled Belle last time, but they didn't show up today. It took a toll for them to put her away. She showed up today, and she showed up every other time. Like I said, I think her finishing second the times she did, horses freaked those days, and she's always been steady. She does her job. She loves her game, and she can't wait to run. She has some antics to show you that. She just wants to get in that gate and run as fast as she can. Q. Kent, how was the track playing today earlier? Did that affect how you rode her during the race? It looked kind of tough to come from way back out of it in the earlier races. Did that affect your thinking at all? Letting them make the big move kind of early. KENT DESORMEAUX: You know, I hate to be cynical, but we always think something's going on. I've been riding here 20 years, and the track has never been the way it's been this week. I congratulate the track men. I think it's probably ten lengths faster than it's been all week, and it's still not the way I know Churchill Downs. Did I ride different? Of course. I think we all wanted to all be wide and we wanted it to be as quiet as we could, not knowing -- well, knowing exactly that the track is not nearly as firm as it can get, and it's playing for contentious horses. I don't think fee is a spot we want to be in, and I don't think the rail is anywhere you want to be. I hate to throw somebody -- I hate to pitch anything at anyone and blame it, but Calvin lives by the rail, and it took him a little while to peel him out and get him to the outside. I know he's won a couple of races in the last couple days, and he's gotten off the fence, and that's why. ERIC WING: Now we have a question from upstairs in the press box. Q. For Bill, maybe Kent too, just maybe talk about the challenges and the dynamic of doing a race of this magnitude at night. We haven't seen it before. WILLIAM MOTT: Well, as far as the horse goes, I mean, we've been lucky enough to train here under the lights every morning. I mean, it's been -- you know, we've had darkness until 7:00, 7:30 every morning, and Churchill has been good enough to turn the lights on at 6:00 in the morning. So we've been training at 6:30 under the lights every morning. So it was nothing new for the filly. She just -- she thought she was going out as she was on a daily basis. KENT DESORMEAUX: I walked into the track at 5:00 a.m. one morning and went to the rest room and came out, and they turned the lights on, and I thought it was high noon. I don't think the horses know it's nighttime out there. It is so bright. The lights are phenomenal. I think that's a credit to Churchill Downs. They lit the place up. Everyone can see where they're going. It's safe, and it's bright. GARY SEIDLER: Kent's new name, by the way, is the night rider. ERIC WING: I understand we have another question from upstairs. Q. For the owners, could they explain, it shows her as being sold in 2007 at Keeneland, and you-all are the breeders, and you have her. Can you all just explain what the sales price that shows in the DRF is about? KENT DESORMEAUX: Who's the question pointed to? ERIC WING: I think to the owners. It says, while they're the owners and breeders, the racing form shows that the horse was sold in September of '07 at Keeneland for $250,000. 260. Excuse me. Could they just explain -- was the horse already -- GARY SEIDLER: We did. You know, it's the best thing we ever do. Every R&A, every horse we've ever purchased back has turned into a graded stakes winner. Isn't that true, Lenny? You checked that? I mentioned that to you the other day. Q. You did mention it. I haven't checked it, but I believe you. GARY SEIDLER: From now on, we're trying to sell every yearling we have, and we're going to buy it back at whatever price. ERIC WING: Don't mess with a winning formula. Incidentally, I misspoke earlier when I gave you the margin of victory. It was not 3/4 of a length. Perhaps our winners up front were thinking that was a little narrow. There was daylight. It was 1 3/4 lengths, so let's correct the -- WILLIAM MOTT: He said 3/4, and I said bull. I didn't think it was that little. GARY SEIDLER: Can we get a replay? ERIC WING: We can probably get one up shortly. I guess we don't. I think the people -- we'll see what we can do later. I understand we have another question from upstairs. Q. This is for Kent and Bill. Kent, you kind of alluded to this, but earlier in the year you had kind of a complication in Canada and changed some things in your life, and Bill stuck with you. Just to comment on his loyalty, and then Bill, if he could comment on why he stuck with Kent Desormeaux, and what it means to be here together with this horse in this race. KENT DESORMEAUX: Well, I failed a breathalyzer test in Canada. It was truly an embarrassing moment. Something I never thought would be attached to my name. I am still embarrassed about it. I can tell you that I think I was erroneously removed from the horse. It says that you cannot exceed .020, which is what I blew. So we'll talk about that later. But I truly am sitting next to a very loyal, loving man, and he showed it to me there. ERIC WING: Gary and Peter, one of your many successful Chicken Soup books was "Chicken Soup For the Horse Lover's Soul." Are you planning a sequel? GARY SEIDLER: We don't have one in mind right now. ERIC WING: Perhaps today supplied some new material. GARY SEIDLER: We did another book called the "Ultimate Horse Lover," which has color photography and equally good stories. "Ultimate Horse Lover." ERIC WING: Back up to the press box for another question. Q. Kent, this is Darren Rogers. First of all, congratulations. For the folks that are the members of the Japanese media, would you mind taking a moment to talk about your trip on Red Desire on the Filly & Mare Turf. KENT DESORMEAUX: I would be happy to do that once this team has been released. ERIC WING: Okay. While we're still here, does anyone else have any questions in the room here for the winning connections of Unrivaled Belle. Apparently, that's not the case. We'll officially congratulate Kent Desormeaux, Bill Mott, Gary Seidler, and Peter Vegso. Terrific performance in the Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic. Kent, if you would, could you just comment on Red Desire for the benefit of those listening upstairs. KENT DESORMEAUX: Do you want a directed question or just talk in general? Q. If you could just take us through the trip. They were looking for a comment on her trip in the race. KENT DESORMEAUX: Okay. Red Desire broke smartly, put me right in the race, folded into the first turn and was very lucky to get close to the fence. I think I was two off and extremely happy with my position. I thought that I had the horse to beat. Inside me, Midday, I kept an eye on her and one eye on my forward progress. We bent around the first turn, and there was kind of a pocket for Midday to get into, but I had a horse in front of me. And I elected to make sure that if Midday wanted to move forward, she was going to have to take the pocket. I wasn't going to let her go around. The filly was carrying me perfectly. I mean, she wasn't pulling. She wasn't off the bridle. She was just there letting me now turn me loose. And I can remember moving down the back side, Midday shot for the pocket, and I said, well, there's nowhere to go. I don't know really where he's going. I'm going to stay here. This filly really was quiet until we fell into the turn and where she started pulling. I thought she thought it was time to go. So I presented her, and she really -- she got in a nice gear. I tried to smooth it out and let her glide around the turn and not move all at once. The horse that was leading me was offering a pocket to Midday, and I said, momma, you got to win the race right now, and I pushed the button, and she took off. She closed the door on Midday and I set sail for home. And I said, here we go, we've got this won. Unfortunately, she couldn't match strides with the three that passed her, one outside and two inside. She was running a full head of steam, and maybe the slow pace offered them a better chance. Those Europeans are really, really good with turn of foot. No lack of effort on Red Desire's part, but they out quickened me down the lane. ERIC WING: Kent, congratulations again regarding the Ladies' Classic, and thanks for sticking around to talk about Red Desire. End of FastScripts |
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