Quotes from the $125,000 Rood & Riddle Dowager (G3)

Click here for a replay of the race and the post-race interview with winning connections.

Manny Franco (winning rider of Blame Debbie)

“She was so nice and so game in the lead. I think she felt that other horse (Always Shopping) coming by the five-sixteenths pole to the wire. She never let that one pass her. I was really pleased. I was riding to the wire, and she responded to me the whole way.”

“She relaxed pretty nice. She made the lead. When she was on the lead, she just put her ears up. She was galloping along the whole way, and she was there for me the whole way.”

Jane Buchanan (racing manager for winning trainer Graham Motion)

On watching Blame Debbie take the lead with the slow pace with Always Shopping in pursuit

“Initially, we were like, ‘Whoa, Manny. Slow down.’ Then he did. He got her settled brilliantly. When Always Shopping came into contention with us, it was ‘Oh no.’ He rode her brilliantly. She just dug in. She was really game.”

Tyler Gaffalione (rider of runner-up Always Shopping)

“We went pretty easy early on in the race. There wasn’t much speed so I figured it would be a sprint to the wire. My filly just couldn’t get her nose in front but she put in a big effort today.”