Battle of Midway © Benoit Photo

FLAVIEN PRAT (Battle of Midway, winner) – “Much better today. The blinkers had to help. He seemed much more focused. He did just what I asked him to do. He’s a good horse. We know that. He ran third in the (Kentucky) Derby. You know he’s a good horse.”

RAFAEL BEJARANO (Gato Del Oro, second) – “Good trip for me and no excuses. The winner was just much the best today.”

JOSEPH TALAMO (Klimt, third) -- “I had a beautiful trip. The fractions were good. He just didn’t quicken enough at the end.”

VICTOR ESPINOZA (Gormley, fourth) – “He ran all right. I think he needed it. It’ll be better next time.”

DAN WARD, assistant to Jerry Hollendorfer (Battle of Midway, winner) – “There was some speed in the race, we’ve worked him behind horses so he had a target to run at. And with the blinkers he seemed to go on rather than waiting on horses. It doesn’t always work out the way you want, but this time it did. I listened to the Jim Rome (owner of Shared Belief) radio show this morning and he talked about the memories. I texted him and told him I was going to wear the (blue and white) colors. ”  

(Trainer Hollendorfer was at Saratoga today to saddle champion Songbird in the Personal Ensign.)

FRACTIONS: :22.44 :45.96 1:10.46 1:22.72 1:35.94

The stakes win was the eighth of the meet (the most by any rider) for jockey Prat, but his first in the Shared Belief. He now has 18 stakes wins at Del Mar.

The stakes win is the first of the meet for conditioner Hollendorfer and his first in the Shared Belief. He now has 29 stakes wins at Del Mar.

The winning owners – Don Alberto Stable or WinStar Farm – are from Kentucky. Fernando Diaz of Lexington is Don Alberto and WinStar is owned by Kenny Troutt of Versailles.