Conquest Stables' Conquest Typhoon and jockey Mike Smith win the Grade III, Cecil B. DeMille StakesCecil B. DeMille Stakes
(Grade III)
MIKE SMITH (Conquest Typhoon, winner) -- "Mark (trainer Mark Casse) thought this horse was going to be a little lazy today, so he told me to warm him up pretty good. I got him behind the gate and got him on his toes. He usually shows speed but he didn't come out of there so well. Sometimes, though, those things work out for the best. The way the race came up, it was best that we were where we were. At the half-mile pole I was in contention, so that was fine. Then I got him out and he made that run. The way he was going, I thought we were going to win it easy. But the horse inside (Stormy Lieberal) was game and made us work for it."
WILLIAM ANTONGEORGI (Stormy Liberal, second) -- "This was a heckuva race for him. It was his first time long and his first time against winners and he ran great. He rated nicely for me and he was game late. Next time he'll be double tough."
GARY STEVENS (Rock Shandy, third) -- "I didn't like that second fraction (:48.50) too much. They got away with a :25 and 2 pretty easy. But it was a good race for my horse. He was very professional and settled well. He's a nice horse."
MARK CASSE (Conquest Typhoon, winner) -- "The last eighth of a mile went in 11 and 4 or so and I don't know how far back he was, but he zoomed home. I was not sure I wanted to run him because I thought maybe the Breeders' Cup had knocked him out a little bit. We'll give him a little break and for now he'll stay in California. It has been just a dream meet (three stakes in three days). I love this place."
FRACTIONS: :23.02 :48.50 1:13.29 1:25.16 1:36.93
This was the first running of the Cecil B. DeMille Stakes at Del Mar. Previously it was called the Generous Stakes and had been run 31 times at Hollywood Park.
This is the third stakes win of the meet for Mike Smith and his 50th stakes win overall at Del Mar.
This was the third stakes win (in the past three days) at the meet for Mark Casse. He now has four stakes wins total at Del Mar.
The winning owner, Conquest Stables, is Ernie Semersky of Highland Park, IL