GRADE III, $200,000 ZUMA BEACH STAKES QUOTES

JOCKEY QUOTES

MIKE SMITH, PACKS A WAHLOP, WINNER: “On top of such a big, beautiful stride, this horse is just so athletic. He doesn’t seem like a 2-year-old, I swear he’s four! He’s naturally quick, with a very high cruising speed so he puts you right where you need to be. If they let him go, he’ll keep on running and if someone else wants to go, he settles in behind them. I mean, when I asked him to run, he just opens up that stride and it’s crazy…It feels great to win two stakes today. Keeping me young. I’m going back in age.”

TRAINER QUOTES

JEFF MULLINS, PACKS A WAHLOP, WINNER: “He’s a pretty nice horse. He’s probably one of the best ones I’ve had my hands on for a while. When he was in Florida, he was doing things that were not normal…Unfortunately, he hit a muddy track (at Gulfstream) and didn’t really handle it that well. Once he hit the grass, I mean…(His form) may even transfer to the dirt, he’s just a really nice horse. “Tim and Jed Cohen are great guys, they’ve been the best part of my career for the past three or four years, so I want to thank them and it’s just a blessing to have a horse like this.”

NOTES: The winning owners are Red Baron’s Barn, LLC and Rancho Temescal, LLC.