$125,000 MELAIR STAKES QUOTES

JOCKEY QUOTES

FRANK ALVARADO, GRAND SLAM SMILE, WINNER: “Grand Slam Smile took a couple months off, but we've been working her every week. I had a lot of confidence. This is the best 3-year-old I've ever ridden in my career. By the 3/8ths pole, she was looking around, and no one was coming. I didn't even move, just kept it nice and easy. That's when I knew we would win the race."

TRAINER QUOTES

STEVEN SPECHT, GRAND SLAM SMILE, WINNER: “She was a bear in the Paddock. We tried everything, walking her and putting her in the stall at the end and she wasn’t having it. She was a handful, but we got the saddle on her. It was going to get on one way or another. She is always a handful in the paddock and post parade she gets a little heated up, but she overcomes it.”

OWNER QUOTES

LARRY D. WILLIAMS, GRAND SLAM SMILE, WINNER: “I was wondering if we were going to get the saddle on her or not. Steve ran all over the place from one end to the other to try to get the saddle on her, but he made it and we got out just in time. It is a wonderful day for us. We are just so proud of having her. We are proud of Steve and his crew, everyone involved. She’s just been a wonderful filly. She has been a handful all the way through, but we’ve been very blessed to have her.”

NOTES: The winning owners/breeders are Mr. & Mrs. Larry D. Williams.