(Jose Ortiz celebrates winning the 152nd Kentucky Derby with Golden Tempo / All Photos by Holly M. Smith)

From the Churchill Downs Media Team / Darren Rogers:

KENTUCKY DERBY JOCKEY QUOTES

 

Jose Ortiz (Golden Tempo, winner) – “We always knew this horse had a lot of ability. You could see early in his career we tried things because he’s a lazy horse. I knew always Golden Tempo would be my Derby mount. This is an incredible experience. I just won the Kentucky Derby.”

Irad Ortiz Jr. (Renegade, second) – “We got squeezed at the start. We came flying late, but the winner just got the jump on me. He ran very well.”

 

Tyler Gaffalione (Ocelli, third) – He gave me a really good run and proud of his effort. We were just not able to get the job done but hats off to the winner and runner-up. They ran huge races.”

 

Junior Alvarado (Chief Wallabee, fourth) – “I had a good trip, I thought I was in the position I wanted to be. I was following Further Ado, and at the eighth pole, things got a little tight and we lost a little momentum. But he ran a pretty good race, nothing to be ashamed of. He gave me what he had today.”

 

Jaime Torres (Incredibolt, sixth) – “It went great, we were able to relax early and he gave me a really good run. I am very proud of him.”

 

Luis Saez (Commandment, seventh) – – “It was a rough trip, everybody was all over the place. He ran pretty well and made a nice move, but it was just a tough race.”

 

Mike Smith (So Happy, ninth) – “He just did too much early on and we went too fast.”

 

Flavien Prat (Emerging Market, 10th) – “I didn’t watch the replay but I thought I had a decent trip. I just came up empty. I just couldn’t make any move when it was time to go. A gap did open, but at that point I just did not have enough horse to go through.”

 

John Velazquez (Further Ado, 11th) – “I had a great trip. He didn’t have any fight and I didn’t have enough to fight on with.”

 

Juan Hernandez (Potente, 12th) – “I had a good trip, my horse broke beautifully and I was saving ground. We were able to drop down on the first turn, and he relaxed beautifully on the backside. I honestly thought when I asked him he was really going to pick it up, but he was a little one paced from there. He tried hard; we just didn’t have it today. He’s a nice colt.”

 

Brian Hernandez Jr. (Six Speed, 13th) – “We made it to the lead, and he was a little aggressive the first time under the wire, but I got him to turn off and relax a little on the backside. I think the distance was maybe just a little much for him.”

 

Cristian Torres (Robusta, 14th) – “I was trying to be closer, but they were going too fast and I got caught wide into the first turn. We could not make up ground on them late. Riding in the Derby was an amazing experience that I didn’t want to end.”

 

Manny Franco (Albus, 15th) – “I got squeezed out of the gate and then I stayed in the back. I was hoping then that the horses in front of me would come back and they did but my horse was just flat today.”

 

Martin Garcia (Litmus Test, 17th) – “He broke good and sat behind the early pace. I had the rail open for a time but my horses just didn’t keep going. I guess he didn’t like it inside.”

 

Edwin Maldonado (Pavlovian, 18th) – “He broke good. There are a few horses that got sent to the lead in front us so there was no point of us rushing up on the first turn. I just settled in fifth but he didn’t have it today. We hit the three-eighths pole and that was it.”