juvenile fillies - reaction

Rene Douglas (jockey, Dreaming of Anna, 1st): - "I'm still dreaming. I've said all along that this is the best filly I've ever ridden. She's very special. I was a bit concerned about the (rail) post. She's amazing....the best filly I've ever ridden. She proved it today, and you haven't seen all of her yet. I know she won, but your going to see more from her."

Wayne Catalano (trainer, Dreaming of Anna, 1st): - "Mr. Calabrese (owner Frank) turned down a lot of money for this horse. He said to me, 'Wayne, I want to take her to the big dance.' She was placed very well from the one hole. We had to use her a little more than we wanted early, but after that it went the way I thought it would. She drew the rail. She's got speed. From there, I just thought they'd be chasing us and that's how it went. It's nice when it works out the way you figure it."

Garrett Gomez (jockey, Octave, 2nd): - "She's a little filly and this was her first start around two turns. I thought I was a winner when I came to (Dreaming of Anna) but that filly had another gear and my filly tired a bit going two turns for the first time. I got her out and I had a great trip. When I got to the filly on the lead, the filly on the lead kicked on a little bit and my filly just kind of flattened out at the eighth pole. She ran a heck of a race. I look for bright things in the future for her."

John Velazquez (jockey, Cotton Blossom, 3rd): - "She broke good and got into a good position but then she started running spotty. She was fine on the backside but when I moved her out, she ran spotty."

Todd Pletcher (trainer Octave, 2nd & Cotton Blossom, 3rd): - "They were pretty soft fractions. I thought we'd have a little more pace to run at. The filly (winner) ran a big race on the lead, but the fractions didn't help anyone behind her. Both mine got their trips but it looked like a race where four or five fillies would show speed, but basically one filly walked the dog on the lead. A quality filly running soft fractions is hard to run down."

Shaun Bridgmohan (jockey, Appealing Zophie, 4th): - "She ran her lights out. My mare broke smartly. We were laying third. She had her mind on running today, and just hung in there."