Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf
Saturday, November 2, 2019
- Bill Dwan
- Wayne Lordan
- Joseph O’Brien
THE MODERATOR: Ladies and gentlemen, the winner of the Maker’s Mark Filly & Mare Turf was Iridessa. We’re joined by jockey Wayne Lordan; trainer Joseph O’Brien, also been a Breeders’ Cup winner in the past as a jockey on St. Nicholas Abby in the 2011 Breeders’ Cup turf; and Bill Dwan, the racing manager for Mrs. C.C. Regalado-Gonzalez, who is not present today. But, Bill, we appreciate you being here representing the ownership.
Wayne, I think I’d like to start with you and just hear about your trip and sitting off that 15-length pace setter, tell us how it unfolded for you.
RELATED: Iridessa puts Joseph O’Brien in Breeders’ Cup record book with F&M Turf upset
WAYNE LORDAN: The best thing about riding for Joseph, he gives you instructions, but he never ties you down, and just he told me: Get my filly comfortable.
So sitting third or fourth was my ideal position. And once she was comfortable, I was happy. We’ve been through strong gallop the whole way, but I knew if I got her comfortable for the first half, she would finish out well. And that’s the way it worked out.
So Joseph, the experience of riding as well is a great help, gives you confidence not put you under pressure that you can give your horse that chance early.
THE MODERATOR: Joseph, your thoughts on coming over and winning the Filly & Mare Turf today.
JOSEPH O’BRIEN: Obviously I know how tough it is to come in here compete. We were coming here with what we thought was a legitimate contender, but it would have been hard to believe the things he could have won, but we had a good draw. I thought Wayne gave her a fantastic ride. And the race worked out lovely for us. It’s a special day.
THE MODERATOR: Can you tell us more about her campaign this year, a little bit up and down, and just how she’s responded and getting to this point.
JOSEPH O’BRIEN: She’s always done very well. She doesn’t win every start, but it’s hard to expect a horse to win every start. Eight and ten furlongs we stopped and changed a bit. She runs consistently well in all the big races. And probably something that she does like is all her best form is on quick ground, and obviously she got that here.
THE MODERATOR: Bill, does the firm ground here, does that come into play as far as why you pointed to this race and have already said that you’ll hopefully be back next year?
BILL DWAN: Yes, definitely, she’s lovely action filly, and the faster the ground the better, to be honest. Once she got a level pace, I think was the key to the race for her, because anytime she’s won, she’s won off a level pace. And that was the key to the race today, and Wayne just sat in and let it happen.
THE MODERATOR: Questions?
Q. (Off microphone)?
JOSEPH O’BRIEN: I don’t — I think we can take care of mile and mile and quarter. I’m happy to mix and match.
Q. (Off microphone)?
JOSEPH O’BRIEN: There’s no plan. The plan was to finish here. The plan was to come here after her last dash. We get her home and there’s a good chance hopefully she’ll stay in training next year. And we’ve already got something in the spring, see where the season brings us from there.
Q. Joseph, you already have the title of the youngest winning jockey in Breeders’ Cup history. And I’m pretty sure you’ve just become the youngest winning trainer. Your thoughts on that and your experience on both sides of the coin at this particular event.
JOSEPH O’BRIEN: It’s very special. Obviously I’ve been coming here a number of years, and I know how hard it is to compete here. I supposed I’ve been in a previous position to have been supported by some fantastic owners since I started training. And obviously with that I’ve had some very good horses. And it’s very special. And it hasn’t sunk in yet that we’ve had a winner here.
Q. Bill, can you tell us about her background and her pedigree and how you all came to own this filly?
BILL DWAN: She’s interesting in that she’s bred by Joseph’s mom, Anne Marie, and we purchased her after she won her maiden on behalf of the owners. And we’ve been lucky from buying there before because we also bought Qualify from the same breeder. So it’s been very lucky for us.
Q. At that particular time what attracted you to her?
BILL DWAN: Look, she won very impressively. You never know how good they are, but she’s a very good-looking filly. And she impressed her maiden. And thankfully it’s all worked out.
Q. Wayne, it was quite tight towards the finish. Were you always confident you were holding the horse?
WAYNE LORDAN: Yeah, she never kills herself when she gets to the front; she rolls around a bit. We always felt (indiscernible) to hold off.
