Quotes from the $500,000 Darley Alcibiades (G1)

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

Mark Casse (winning trainer of Wonder Wheel)

“She had a great trip today; she had a little bit of a troubled trip (in the Spinaway-G1 at Saratoga in September). And in all honesty, the Spinaway is a big race – it’s a Grade 1, but it wasn’t my main goal. Today was it, and hopefully this will lead us into another big race coming up. She ran well, had a great trip. Some others maybe struggled and didn’t, but I do think she probably lost focus a little. She would surprise me if she couldn’t get a really good mile and a sixteenth. So maybe this race moves her up.”

On stepping up to the $2 million NetJets Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) Nov. 4 at Keeneland

“Just getting this race over this track and getting the two turns, that in itself is going to move her up. It’s not rocket science. We’ll just keep her happy and hope for the best.”

Tyler Gaffalione (winning rider)

“I want to thank (Mr. and Mrs. Leonard) Green (of owner D. J. Stables) and Mark Casse for giving me this opportunity. They’ve been so instrumental in my career and getting me to this point. I’m so thankful for them. This filly, she came out here and did everything right today. We always thought she had a lot of class and she really showed it today. She put in a really big performance. Visually, (the win) doesn’t look as easy as it should, but she kind of just got lost coming into the stretch and there were a lot of people in the stands today, so she had every excuse.”

Joel Rosario (rider of runner-up Chop Chop)

“She came running and it looked like for a second we got it. That was a good performance for her.”

Brad Cox (trainer of Chop Chop)

“It is painful to run second in a Grade 1. It was a big field and a lot to ask. I am proud of her effort. Breeders’ Cup will be in play. She will go back to Churchill Downs, and we will make a decision. A good filly won and the fractions were very honest and (the winner) stayed on. (Chop Chop) got a lot out of this race. This was a good (field) but the Breeders’ Cup will be better.”

Phil Bauer (trainer of third-place finisher Xigera)

On going to the Breeders’ Cup

“Certainly we’ll move forward; we’ve got options of turf and dirt. Our first option was the turf and the filly (Delight) that we beat at Saratoga won the (JPMorgan Chase) Jessamine (G2 a race earlier).”