Monday, August 18, 2008

SHAUN BRIDGMOHAN TRAVERS QUOTES; RE: PYRO

SHAUN BRIDGMOHAN (first Travers mount): “He showed a very promising race last time, obviously, and a lot better than what I had gotten from him in his (Kentucky) Derby race. I think he’s coming into the race very well. He breezed this morning (half mile, 52.28, fast Oklahoma training track), looked phenomenal, and I think we’re expecting a good race out of him this coming Saturday.”

“Basically, he’s a horse that you can’t really pay attention to what’s going on around you. You just have to ride him for who he is. Whenever he breaks and puts himself in the game, I just have to ride him accordingly.”


Were you surprised at how close he was in the Northern Dancer (Churchill Downs, June 14)? “No. I let him break and I actually asked him a little bit and he took me a little closer. He was fine and he handled himself very good there. The last two races were very encouraging. In the Northern Dancer he came back to life, showed that he was doing the right thing. And last time; different race track, different scenario and he handled himself well. I think that having a race over the racetrack is just going to help him a whole lot.”

“You can see that he’s a much older horse now. He’s developing and handling himself very well and doing everything right.”

“It would mean a whole lot [to win the Travers]. The Travers is a very prestigious, very nice race. It’s up there at the top, obviously, with the Derby and it’s the fourth part of the Triple Crown, if you ask me. It would mean a whole lot.”

“I just ride Pyro for who he is. I just hope he acts right mentally and handles himself very well. Hopefully, the crowd won’t get to him.”

“I’m excited about it. It’s a national spotlight race and everybody wants a shot at those kinds of races. I don’t see the distance being a problem for him. He’s got versatility. If I need him to lay a little bit closer out of the gate I usually give him a little clue and if I need him to sit back a little further, it’s basically however he wants to run.”

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