John Shirreffs
John Shirreffs
John A. Shirreffsis an American Thoroughbred racehorse trainer...
good knows mike obviously riding track
We feel very good about Mike riding the Belmont for us. He obviously knows the track very well.
handicap hollywood needed race regroup santa tough
The Santa Anita Handicap was a tough race on him. He needed to regroup a little. We'll probably look for a race here at Hollywood Park.
brother watched
The times I've watched Brother Derek run, he's done everything perfectly.
change distance horse speed
Every horse has a speed that they're comfortable going at, so it's important that if they can do it and go a distance at that pace, that clip, then why change it.
admire adversity deal type
You just have to admire someone who can deal with that type of adversity.
coming looking park quiet
We were looking for a quiet place and this is it. What's better than coming to Belmont Park and stabling in the Phipps' barn?
needed run
We needed to refocus and he just needed to be comfortable again. We didn't want to feel like we had to run in the Belmont but, obviously, we wanted to.
fourth running
Giacomo was running third, second, fourth and hadn't won.
came derby developed felt good hard immature kentucky physically push santa snapped sort until worked
Giacomo as a two-year-old was a little immature physically. So we just -- we couldn't, you know, push him too hard until he physically developed a little more. Everything sort of snapped into place for him before the Santa Anita Derby. He came out of the Santa Anita Derby so well. Then he worked really well for the Kentucky Derby. So, you know, really felt good about that.
add front games horses mess noticed seem send
I don't want to add blinkers because I think he's a pretty competitive horse, and is focused, when there are horses in front of him. The one thing I've noticed about him is that he does seem to be a free-running horse. I don't think you want to mess around and play games with him. You don't want to take him back, or send him. Just let him do his thing.
bigger brother position preferred ran
I would have preferred a little bigger field, obviously, and a little more speed. We were in a position of having to be the presser. Other than that, I thought he ran very well. Brother Derek is exceptional.
compare duplicate gate horse horses next race racing saturday whenever win
I don't know that you can compare it to anything else a person in racing could have. I think whenever you have a horse like this you always want to win the next race, but I don't know that you can duplicate the first Saturday in May getting in the gate with 19 other horses and winning. There is no other race in that category.
mike waiting
Mike said he was waiting for the call.
definitely looking stay
We're not looking to go on the road. We'll definitely stay home.