River Boyne (IRE) © Benoit Photo

FLAVIEN PRAT (River Boyne, winner) – “Going into the backside, he grabbed the bit and they were slowing it down up front. It put me in a bit of a tough spot. But he was comfortable, so it worked out. He’s a nice horse to ride. And I don’t think he’ll have any problems with more distance; he’s showed he can handle it.”

RAFAEL BEJARANO (Arawak, second) – “I wanted to ride him, but I was fighting him. He was lugging in so bad in the stretch. It was all I could do.”

EDWIN MALDONADO (Calexman, third) – “It was a good race for him; he ran well. Especially considering I had to take a whole bunch of heat at the half-mile (pole) from Martin Garcia’s horse (Inscom). That might have cost me the race.” 

JEFF MULLINS (River Boyne, winner) – “I really didn’t know (whether he would be close to the pace or not); I just leave that up to Flavien (Prat). He knows how much horse he’s got underneath him and it has worked out pretty much every time. He got in a little tight back there and I was a little worried it might take away from his kick, but obviously it didn’t. The (Del Mar Derby) is probably the next step.”

FRACTIONS:  :23.40  :47.81  1:11.50  1:34.96  1:40.93

The stakes win was the third of the meet, but first in the La Jolla by rider Prat. He now has 26 stakes wins at Del Mar.

The stakes win was the first of the meet and the first in the La Jolla for trainer Mullins. He now has 19 stakes wins at Del Mar.

The ownership group on River Boyne consists of the Red Baron’s Barn of Jed Cohen of Los Angeles and Rancho Temescal’s Tim Cohen of Piru, CA. They are father (Jed) and son (Tim).