Kentucky Derby 2021: What the also-rans had to say

When Medina Spirit won the 2021 Kentucky Derby, he was followed across the finish line by another 18 horses. Here are quotes gathered from connections of the non-winners, compiled from Horse Racing Nation interviews and Churchill Downs.

Mandaloun trainer Brad Cox and Essential Quality (finished second and fourth, respectively): “I thought we had two big shots. And we did. We knew coming in all week that we had two big shots. We were right where we wanted to be turning for home.”

Mandaloun jockey Florent Geroux: “He absolutely ran his heart out. Words can’t describe how proud I am of him. What a race and what a horse. Well done to trainer Brad Cox. He got him ready to run off the Louisiana Derby effort. He showed us he is the horse we always thought. We just got beat.”

Hot Rod Charlie trainer Doug O’Neill (third): “I’m proud; very proud. He ran huge. It looked to me like he had a good trip. But Flavin (rider Flavien Prat) might have a different take on that. We’re honored and blessed to have a horse like this. I’m so proud of him. And know for sure that he’ll be back..”

Hot Rod Charlie jockey Flavien Prat: "We had a good trip. We were in super position. I was right behind the speed and I was traveling well. Turning for home I thought I had my chance to go by them and they just had just pushed him. But he ran a huge race."

Essential Quality jockey Luis Saez: “He bumped pretty good (with Rock Your World) out of the gate. We ended up getting pretty wide the entire trip which didn’t help.”

O Besos trainer Greg Foley (fifth): “I’m so proud of our horse. He tried so hard. We got a great trip. He settled well after getting a little rank going down the stretch.”

O Besos jockey Marcelino Pedroza: “He got a little headstrong in the stretch for the first time, but I got him settled into the perfect spot. He was moving so comfortably around the turn and we got in the perfect spot to make a run at the leaders. He’s a phenomenal horse.”

Midnight Bourbon trainer Steve Asmussen (sixth): “We missed the break and that’s the only thing I thought he’d do right.”

Midnight Bourbon jockey Mike Smith: “We simply missed the break.”

Keepmeinmind trainer Robertino Diodoro (seventh): “The one thing we wanted was to get him back to his old ways and he relaxed the way we wanted. David (Cohen) said they started moving so fast he had to swing him out wider than we wanted. No excuses. We’re happy with the horse. You don’t want to be happy with seventh, but we are.”

Keepmeinmind jockey David Cohen: “I have to be proud of his effort. He ran a good race and I’m very thankful for Robertino (Diodoro) for being so loyal to us.”

Helium trainer Mark Casse (eighth): “He finished mid-pack but just wasn’t good enough.”

Helium jockey Julien Leparoux: “I got him in a good spot out of the break and he just flattened.”

Known Agenda trainer Todd Pletcher (ninth): “He never got into position. He made a move around the far turn but got shuffled back. I’m going to have to watch the replay.”

Known Agenda jockey Irad Ortiz Jr.: “We made a move on the backside but just sort of flattened.”

Highly Motivated trainer Chad Brown (10th): "I got a great trip. He just didn't fire today. I haven't spoke to the jock yet but I loved where I was throughout the race. From that post, I thought he did an outstanding job. The horse just didn't fire today. So we have to regroup."

Highly Motivated jockey Javier Castellano: “We got into a good spot but just didn’t fire.”

Sainthood trainer Todd Pletcher (11th): “He never got into position.”

Sainthood jockey Corie Lanerie: “I couldn’t have gotten into a better spot, but he just didn’t have enough to get it done.”

Like the King trainer Wesley Ward (12th): “It was a great experience. The big question mark was if he would like the dirt. He worked great leading up to the race. We were very happy with the day, but his future will be on the grass.”

Like the King jockey Drayden Van Dyke: “He didn’t really handle the dirt.”

Bourbonic trainer Todd Pletcher (13th): “He never got into position… I’m going to have to watch the replay.”

Bourbonic jockey Kendrick Carmouche: “I just never could get a good run at them.”

Hidden Stash trainer Vicki Oliver (14th): “He looks like he came out of it OK. He ate a lot of dirt, but we scoped him and he’s fine. I just jogged him in the shedrow and he’s tired but he should be OK. He ran his race. Rafael (Bejarano) said he broke real good, but he had to check him several times. Horses were in front of him and there was nowhere to go.”

Hidden Stash jockey Rafael Bejarano: “I didn’t want to try and get him out of his rhythm too soon, but when I needed to go he was just flat.”

Brooklyn Strong trainer Danny Velazquez (15th): “It’s a tough load with 20 horses. You’re in there a long time. Umberto (Rispoli) said he wasn’t standing correctly and he broke a little slow. Our horse was really trying. No harm, no foul. If he comes back OK, we’ll go to the Belmont.”

Brooklyn Strong jockey Umberto Rispoli (15th): "He did amazing. Unfortunately, the start killed us. He was standing there for so long. Unfortunately, once I break I got much pressure from outside horses and I got that bump. He shot me back and obviously that's not the spot where we were supposed to be. … And as far as I was away from the kickback he was responding pretty well. Once I got to start getting closer to the horses, some kickback hurts him a little bit. And he switched the leads at the quarter pole. I was almost thinking he was done but he just kept coming on. And after the wire he just started to gallop out. So I do really like it that even if we finish at the back, no matter what he's Brooklyn Strong."

Super Stock jockey Ricardo Santana Jr. (16th): “Didn’t have it today.”

Rock Your World trainer John Sadler (17th): “We got squeezed at the start and we were done. No chance.”

Rock Your World jockey Joel Rosario: “It was pretty much over after the break. We got out of position from there and it was a tough trip to overcome in a race like the Derby.”

Dynamic One trainer Todd Pletcher (18th): “We could never get in positon.”

Dynamic One jockey Jose Ortiz: “Didn’t fire.”

Soup and Sandwich trainer Mark Casse (19th): “We’ll regroup and see where we go from here.”

Soup and Sandwich jockey Tyler Gaffalione: “We got away from the gate good but he faded late.”