Dan Hendricks
Dan Hendricks
Dan L. Hendricksis an American Thoroughbred horse racing trainer...
bed fighting horse hospital lying puts race time
Lying in a hospital bed, I had a lot of time to think about everything. When you look at a horse race and you look at the fighting in Iraq, it puts things into perspective.
compared derby field grade kentucky knows pace poker santa scenario short totally track whatever win
The Santa Anita Derby and Kentucky Derby are two totally different-run races, with a speed-biased track and short field compared with going back there with a 20-horse field and who knows what the pace scenario will be? This is a big race, a $750,000 Grade I. To win that would be a big deal. The Kentucky Derby is like a one-hand poker game. It's all in with whatever you've got. Whatever comes up comes up.
cost injured mild note problem state
The state veterinarian made a note of it and put him on the injured list. It was just a mild little thing and not a problem at all. It won't cost him any time.
changes fast field lay pressure strategy teach
The whole scenario, how it's going to lay out, I just don't know. Even with a fast pace, he'll be close. We're not going to try to teach him a whole new way of running. It's a 20-horse field with a lot of pressure up front. The tactical strategy changes because of that.
alex asking change eighth faster finished last looked work
The work was great. It was a little faster than I wanted, but he did it easy, so it was fine. He couldn't have looked any better. He went off the first eighth easily, and he finished his last eighth in 11 and change without Alex even asking him.
alex broke easy happy looks nice picked work
The work was fine. He broke off nice and easy and then picked it up and cruised on home. Alex was happy with the work. He never looks like he is doing anything because he does it so easy.
advancing fresh hope horse needs race seems
Everything with the horse seems to be right where we want it to be. He's fresh and going into the race with what I hope is a lot more in reserve. He seems to be advancing -- and he needs to.
gets longer planned quick run takes
Everything takes longer to do and you can't just run around and do quick little things like you used to. Everything has got to be planned out. That part of it gets old.
education grade race
Every race is an education for a race horse. But this is a $750,000 Grade I race.
ask bill derby horse kentucky kid people street winning
Don't kid yourself, all we think about is winning the Derby. If you ask 1,000 people on the street about horse racing, they're going to say Kentucky Derby and Bill Shoemaker.
hope horse keeps
You always hope to get a horse that just keeps improving. Each week, each race, he's done that.
easy hoped relaxed
We had hoped to get an easy lead, and he relaxed and finished. He's a real racehorse.
pound
I won't take him off for a pound or two.
talented
I think this is a very deep, talented group.