Quotes From The 144th Kentucky Derby Draw

May 01, 2018

JASON SERVIS (FIRENZE FIRE, Post Position 1, 50-1) – “I think it’s a lot better than 19 or 20, really. I’d rather be inside. I’m OK with it.”

DALE ROMANS (FREE DROP BILLY, Post Position 2, 30-1); PROMISES FULFILLED Post Position 3, 30-1) – “If I had to handpick the posts I probably would’ve picked a little differently. It is what it is. We’ll work with what we have. Promises Fulfilled will go to the front and Free Drop Billy will be closing late.”

MARK CASSE (FLAMEAWAY, Post Position 4, 30-1) – “I love it. We’ve said all along we’re going to be up close to the lead. And look, we know that we need some things to go our way, and I think that this was the start of it. It’s always nice to run the shortest way around on the inside. I think it’s great.”

TODD PLETCHER (AUDIBLE, Post Position 5, 8-1); (MAGNUM MOON (Post Position 16, 6-1); (NOBLE INDY, Post Position 19, 30-1); (VINO ROSSO, Post Position 18, 12-1) – “Ideally, I wouldn’t want three of my four horses in the auxiliary gate. But it’s horse racing and that’s what happens. We’ve all seen it before: good trips from bad posts, or vice versa. But in the end it’s out of my control so it’s all good. Both Magnum Moon (#16) and Noble Indy (#19) have tactical speed, so in a best case scenario they’ll be able to get good spots despite the post. This is very much a rider’s race and I’ve got four of the best riders around, which makes me feel good. When they went through the first 10 horses and I hadn’t gotten in the mix yet, I thought maybe they’d lost my entries. But it all worked out for the best. We’ll hope for a good break for our horses and then see what happens. It figures to be a very interesting race.”

CHAD BROWN (GOOD MAGIC), Post Position 6, 12-1) – “I’m perfectly fine with the six I wouldn’t want to be any farther inside but he’ll get to save some ground there and he’s got a really good horse to his outside in Justify that will provide him with a horse to follow into the first turn.”

BOB BAFFERT (JUSTIFY, Post Position 7, 3-1/SOLOMINI, Post Position 17, 30-1) – “That’s a good spot. We didn’t want to be in the one-hole and we didn’t want to be 20. Seven is fine but he still has to break well. If he doesn’t break well it doesn’t matter what hole he’s in. We only have one option. We have to break. He’s lightly raced and he has to leave there running. I’m glad I got here late. I was still in the parking lot when it happened so I didn’t get a chance to fret. I walked in and saw Justify seven and was like, ‘I’ll take that. Dale Romans has that really fast horse (Promises Fulfilled, post No. 3) and I would’ve hated for him to be outside of me so that’s good. I think all the good horses are in good spots. It’s one of the toughest Derbys that I’ve ever seen and one of the best draws that I’ve ever seen. The most important horses got good draws. My excuses are really dwindling so now I’ve got to come with the horse. He’s a horse that just going to fall away from there. I would’ve preferred to have seen him somewhere on the inside to save some ground but I think everyone should be happy with their draw. I don’t see any advantage that I have or that anyone else has. I have Solomini in there to pick up the pieces in case things fall apart up front. It’s nice to have a couple more weapons.”

TOM AMOSS (LONE SAILOR, Post Position 8, 50-1) – “We’re very pleased – especially with what posts were left.” 

GARRETT O’ROURKE, JUDDMONTE FARMS’ MANAGER (HOFBURG, Post Position 9, 20-1) – “We couldn’t be happier. All the speed’s to the inside, I’m sure it’ll go; there’s some speed to the outside. Hopefully there’ll be plenty of room for us to settle somewhere midpack. It’ll be entirely up to the jockey but you don’t want to be too far back and I don’t think he has to be. But he won’t be fighting for the front here, for definite. The front here is positioned to go so I would hope there’s going to be room there in the middle for people to just pick a nice spot. I just hope he gets a nice, comfortable position so he can move in the second half of the race. The draw seems to set up for everybody to be relatively happy.”

KEITH DESORMEAUX (MY BOY JACK, Post Position 10, 30-1) – “Perfect; right in the middle. We wanted to be there or farther outside. With our style (a late runner) we just didn’t want to be inside and taking a lot of dirt in the face right away.”

MICK RUIS (BOLT D’ORO, Post Position 11, 8-1) – “It’s ironic. We had 11 and Good Magic had the 6 in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. We drew the same numbers. That’s kind of fun. I’m fine where we are. That’s good.”

KIARAN McLAUGHLIN (ENTICED, Post Position 12, 30-1) – “It’s great. We’re very happy. We weren’t going to be unhappy unless we had the 1 hole. The 12 is a good spot in the middle of the pack.”

D. WAYNE LUKAS (BRAVAZO, Post Position 13, 50-1) – “I was hoping for 15, but 13 is pretty close. I like the horses around us. I thought it was an excellent draw. I’m really pleased.”

(MENDELSSOHN, Post Position 14, 5-1) – No representatives were available for comment. 

DAN WARD, ASSISTANT TO JERRY HOLLENDORFER (INSTILLED REGARD, Post Position 15, 50-1) – “Couldn’t ask for better.”

WILLIS HORTON, OWNER (COMBATANT, Post Position 20, 50-1) – “It wasn’t what we wanted but it looks like we’ll be the last one in and the first one out. The main thing is getting out and getting a good position.”