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BREEDERS' CUP WORLD THOROUGHBRED CHAMPIONSHIPS

November 6, 2010

CHURCHILL DOWNS, KENTUCKY

ERIC WING: We are now back live in the interview room after an historic running of the TVG Breeders' Cup Mile. We have the margins for those keeping track: Goldikova, the winner by 1 3/4 lengths over Gio Ponti, who is a neck in front of the third place finisher, The Usual Q.T. And The Usual Q.T. was a nose in front of Paco Boy.
We are now joined by familiar faces to those who attend Breeders' Cup World Championships on an annual basis. From left to right, co-owner Gerard Wertheimer, trainer Freddy Head, and co-owner Alain Wertheimer. Gentlemen, congratulations. We'll be joined incidentally by Olivier Peslier in just a bit.
As a gentleman who rode back to back Breeders' Cup Mile winners about Miesque, some people at that time thought that feat couldn't be topped. It was equalled at least, and today it has been topped by a horse you trained. There must be so many emotions going through your mind. Can you just kind of tell us what the feeling was, seeing her unleash that powerful burst?
FREDDY HEAD: Exactly. I think, really, my English is not good enough, and I don't know. I've got so many things coming up to my mind right now that I -- it's a thing I can't realize.
Winning for the third time at Churchill. After winning with Miesque, she was the first filly to win back to back Breeders' Cup Miles, and this time we win it for the third time, it's something unreal. I mean, even in the worst soap opera, you can't imagine anything like that.
I was thinking about it for a long time, but it looks too good to be true. So just I must be a very, very lucky person, very lucky person.
ERIC WING: Lucky and skillful as well. Gerard and Alain, this was a very strong field assembled, arguably one of the best fields Goldikova has faced in the TVG Breeders' Cup Mile, wide around the turns -- and here we are joined by Olivier. Were you ever concerned, either one of you, during the race that this might be the one that she doesn't get there first?
ALAIN WERTHEIMER: You're always concerned, but there's no answer until once the race is finished.
GERARD WERTHEIMER: I would answer the same answer. You know, in the race, the race is never won at the first of it. But I think, when we saw her at the last, you know, cube, we thought she was good. She ran incredibly well.
ALAIN WERTHEIMER: I think Olivier is probably better to answer than us.
GERARD WERTHEIMER: Yes, Olivier. He has a better feeling.
ERIC WING: Olivier, congratulations on making history, as you did, on board Goldikova. Take us through the trip and also tell us what it's like to be on board a horse that unleashes such an explosive turn of foot as we saw at the top of the stretch, when she seemingly blew by the rest of the field in a matter of just a few jumps.
OLIVIER PESLIER: Yes, exactly. For the start, she started slowly, and after just we have a nice race. When you win, you have always a nice race. And for the last turn, she just coming a little bit early, but she's doing well. She have a good turn of foot after that when I'm coming, I'm coming very quickly.
I don't think I come like that because I say maybe the ground is not too soft or too firm, but she's just coming well. She have a very good turn of foot, and after that she win very well.
ERIC WING: We have one question from the press box already. I'll address to the Wertheimers. Is she coming back, or is this her career finale?
ALAIN WERTHEIMER: We have no idea.
GERARD WERTHEIMER: At the moment, I think we're enjoying the race and the win.
ERIC WING: Understandably so. Questions in the room?

Q. This is for trainer Freddy Head. You are very fond of breaking records. You won twice with Miesque, and now you have Goldikova. You have it as the trainer, and you have won the highest number of Group 1s and three Breeders' Cup races in a row. What is one special quality about Goldikova that distinguishes her from other horses, that makes her so special?
FREDDY HEAD: I don't know. I think she has everything an athlete can have. I mean, she's got tremendous nerves. She's very cool. She's got great speed. She's very fast, and she can carry that speed for a long time.
She can go to a mile, mile and a quarter. That's what makes her so special, and she can relax. She has always another gear. She can always change gear and finishes faster than the others.
I mean, she's a real fighter. She's extraordinary.

Q. I love that you ride her all over Europe and whatnot. If you bring her back, is there any chance you would bring her back to the United States to run in a non-Breeders' Cup race?
ALAIN WERTHEIMER: We have no idea what we're doing. At this stage, she's not coming back. She's going back to Europe.
GERARD WERTHEIMER: We're just enjoying the moment.
OLIVIER PESLIER: Yeah, we're enjoying the moment.
ERIC WING: Freddy, Goldikova has won three Breeders' Cup Miles. She won the first one stalking the early pace up very forward. Her second victory, she came from next to last. And today was kind of in between. She was just kind of in mid-pack. Is that versatility part of what makes her so special?
FREDDY HEAD: Absolutely, absolutely. That's why she's so fantastic. You can do a lot of things with her as long as she's got enough pace, you can do whatever you want. That's very, very special. In my riding career, I haven't ridden a horse with such a versatility.

Q. Freddy, you were saying you were having trouble coming up with the right word to describe Goldikova's performance in English. Maybe you could grace us with a one word description maybe in French?
ALAIN WERTHEIMER: (Speaking French)
ERIC WING: I wanted to ask the gentlemen, no matter what happens here on out, it's been a historic day at the Breeders' Cup for obvious reasons. Will the four of you gentlemen be rooting for Zenyatta in the Breeders' Cup classic?
FREDDY HEAD: Absolutely, absolutely.
ALAIN WERTHEIMER: Yes.
FREDDY HEAD: Absolutely. I want her to win that race, the Classic.
ALAIN WERTHEIMER: I must say one of the dreams was to beat the record, on the mile at least, and win three times in a row. That was the idea, when she won twice. I mean, when she started winning, that was really -- I think that was important to try to make history to have a horse that can win three times the same race. That would be something very, very difficult to beat.
Since we've had horses for almost 100 years, that's part of the thing which was amusing.
ERIC WING: And even if Zenyatta wins today, she won't be able to say the same thing.
ALAIN WERTHEIMER: Exactly.

Q. Now you're defeated at the hands of Makfi in the Prix Jacques Le Marois. Was it just because of hilly ground? Do you think the ground in any way helped Goldikova use it to the best advantage?
GERARD WERTHEIMER: It depends because Paco Boy finished just behind me, and maybe Makfi is good for that moment, and it's very difficult if she's well or not or maybe the best on heavy ground. Maybe she's not 100 percent. We don't know exactly. It's just one race. It's not just because you finish second, the filly run bad. After she win like the seven furlong, she win very well. If one time she finished second, it's not very big important.

Q. This is for Freddy. Freddy, you were here in '88 with Miesque, and now you're here in 2010. I wonder if you, since then and in between, thought about bringing more horses? With what you've been able -- the kind of history you've been able to make at Churchill Downs, it seems like you'd want to come back here more often, maybe the first Saturday in May with a horse as well.
FREDDY HEAD: Of course, who wouldn't like to try to have a run at the Kentucky Derby? It's the dream of everybody. For us Europeans, it's very difficult because a 3-year-old, you know, it takes a lot. It's in May. I mean, it's a lot. But it's something, of course, I would love to. Maybe one day that will happen, but for the moment, I think it's a bit difficult for us.
ERIC WING: Any other questions for Team Goldikova? Okay. Gerard Wertheimer, Freddy Head, Alain Wertheimer, Olivier Peslier, splendid job on a horse we could all call great, Goldikova.

End of FastScripts

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