SAN ANTONIO STAKES QUOTES

JOCKEY QUOTES

RAFAEL BEJARANO, GLADDING, WINNER: “I thought (Joe Talamo) was going to send the seven (Aggie Engineer), but when I saw him take a hold it let me go to the lead really easy. I decided to stay there and stay close to everybody. I was really comfortable with the pace and I was waiting for the stretch. When I felt the other horse (Spurrier) come running from the outside, I made sure to try and keep my horse on the lead down the stretch and let him explode. He showed me a big kick. I wasn’t worried too much about the second place horse (Spurrier), I was more worried about the seven (Aggie Engineer). That’s why I tried to set the pace and stay comfortable with my pace. I had enough horse in the stretch. I only had to hit him a couple times.”

TRAINER QUOTES

JOHN SADLER, GLADDING , WINNER: “We thought it would be us or Aggie Engineer for the lead, so Bejarano wanted to bounce out of there a little bit and see what Talamo decided to do. He (Talamo) took back a little bit and inherited the trip we thought we might get. It’s fun when it works out like you think it might. It doesn’t always go like that, but right now, we’re in that space, so we’re really happy.”

Asked if he would go on to the Santa Anita Handicap March 5: “I told Lee (co-owner Searing), ‘I’ve got to come here and say, he’ll kick the crap out of Twirling Candy . . . but seriously, he’s another option for the Big ‘Cap also, and if he’s doing well, and he’s ready, he’ll probably go in there with the other horse (Twirling Candy).”

PADDY GALLAGHER, AGGIE ENGINEER, 11-10 FAVORITE, THIRD: Asked if he thought the horse was wide: “Not really. I don’t think he had any excuse.”

NOTES: The San Antonio was Sadler’s seventh stakes win this meet, all graded. The winning owners are Lee and Susan Searing of Rancho Cucamonga, who race as C R K Stable, and who also won the Grade I Santa Monica Stakes with Switch on Jan. 30.

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