Jeff Mullins, winning trainer of I Want Revenge (No. 2): “You don’t want to see that kind of trouble, and nine out of 10 times they don’t overcome it, so for him to do what did today is just unbelievable. He had every trouble you could have in a race and still overcame it.  That’s as good as it gets right there.” 

 

“I guess the horse next to him kind of rattled the gate a little bit and he stepped back right when they opened the gate, and just kind of blew the start.”

 

 

“Well, it looks like he’ll do anything we want him to, so you’ve got to have quite a bit of confidence right now.  You never want to see a horse in a race like this get so much trouble, especially at the break.  Joe (Talamo, jockey) did just what I told him to do – just be patient.  You’ve got to be more impressed with [I Want Revenge] today.  He overcame every obstacle you can even imagine and still prevailed, so it’s pretty special.”

 

 “No.”

 

“I was sick.  I thought we were done.  I didn’t know we had a chance.”

 

“[I thought we were back in it] in the middle of the stretch.  This horse just shows me more and more every time – he’s got more in him than I even think he has.  The distance didn’t bother him at all – being on the rail, and things like the break happening was my biggest worry, and getting bottled up was another worry and he got all of them. Nine out of 10 times when that happens – when you blow the break - it’s pretty tough to get back in the game.  And he blew the break, got trapped, had to find a hole and he still won easy.  Joe – I couldn’t have drawn it up more perfectly.  I’m not sure a veteran rider would have done the things he did today.  I think (I Want Revenge) ran way harder in the Gotham than he did today.” 

 

“Well it all depends on when we can get him shipped to Churchill and all that.  I’d like to ship Monday so he can train on Tuesday.”

 

 

  GARRETT GOMEZ, PIONEEROF THE NILE, WINNER: “Any time you win  it wasn’t the way we were really trying to get it done today. We wanted to try something like the race he ran before, and that was to try to make one solid run with him. But with all the scratches, it just jeopardized the pace for us. I tried to get in behind and settle early on. He was OK for a while, but then as they kept slowing down in front of him, I tried to take hold of him and get him back a couple times. He went for it once or twice, and then all of a sudden when they slowed down about the 6 1/2 , I was going to have to slow him down too much. He’s such a big-striding horse, he’s in a comfortable rhythm if he’s able to stretch his legs. The bad part about him is that when he gets up there, he just kind of lollygags on me – otherwise, I wouldn’t be hesitant about any of this. He just makes me hesitant because I know he waits a little bit. I was trying to get him to relax a little bit. He was pulling a little, and
 it was either yank him out pull. It worked out for us. We’re happy we won, and we’ll go on to the next step.
  “I feel it was a carbon copy of his last race, and we weren’t trying to accomplish that. We weren’t trying to do that. We wanted him to run more like he did in the race prior to that. I wouldn’t say it’s a missed opportunity; I was just a little disappointed I wasn’t able to get it done the way we wanted to. You’re always happy to win the Santa Anita Derby, but just knowing the next step for him, I was trying to get a little more preparation for the next step. I wasn’t able to accomplish that.”

  JOEL ROSARIO, CHOCOLATE CANDY, SECOND: My horse ran good, but the other horse (Pioneerof the Nile) is a more tactical horse. He was able to set a slow pace, so my horse was a little bit closer, and I don’t think he finished like he can. I think when we have more pace in the race, he’ll be OK. I think this should set him up well for the Kentucky Derby. I really liked the way he moved coming to the quarter pole and coming to the wire. I really like his ability. I’m sure there will be more pace in the Kentucky Derby, and he will like that.”
 
   COREY NAKATANI, MR. HOT STUFF, THIRD: “He ran good, but there was no pace in the race. I mean, a few horses scratched, and my horse ran hard. Going to the half-mile pole, I knew they were going slow, so I didn’t want to lose too much contact with them. I started to make a move and they all quickened around the far turn. I dropped back to the inside, gave him a little education, and he ran hard. He’s just one of those Belmont-type horses, I think.”
 
   ALEX SOLIS, TAKE THE POINTS, FOURTH: “That was racing to the fullest for me today. I didn’t know about what had happened to The Pamplemousse until I woke up from my nap about 10:45. Obviously, I was disappointed. Very disappointed. But you’ve just got to pick up your head and keep going. So I wound up with Take the Points, and he ran real good. I was proud of his effort. He ran a gallant race, and that’s all you can ask for.”
 
   VICTOR ESPINOZA, FEISTY SUANCES, FIFTH: “I was trying to steal the race, but I didn’t have enough horse to do it. I just wanted to go as slow as I could, and see if I could make it. He tried hard. But it was just one of those days when he couldn’t beat those kind of horses.”
 

   BOB BAFFERT, PIONEEROF THE NILE, WINNER: “I saw the pace slowed down and my horse was getting a little keen. He was pretty sharp for this race. Down the backside, when he (Garrett Gomez) finally let him run a little bit, I thought, ‘Well, I’m glad he’s letting him do that,’ because this horse, his stride is so long, that’s nothing for him. You can put him on the lead, and he would have kept going, but I think he did a great job of changing his tactics halfway down (the backstretch). But good horses can adapt to any situation. That’s why he’s a good horse. That’s why he’s won four in a row now. He’s learning how to run, but the thing is, he’s very competitive, and I felt really good today about him. I knew he was going to win the Santa Anita Derby, and once he came out of the gate clean, I felt real good about him. I’ll just keep him happy and healthy (en route to the Kentucky Derby on May 2). He’s ready to go.”
   Asked how the late scratches affected the race: “With The Pamplemousse out, it sort of changed everything. I was really excited about the race, and it’s too bad for those guys, but I know what it’s like. Kafwain scratched two days before the (2003 Santa Anita) Derby with the same tendon injury, so it’s a tough deal . . . Still, we got to see a good horse perform today.”
 
   JERRY HOLLENDORFER, CHOCOLATE CANDY, SECOND: “He was real wide coming for home, that was one problem, and the pace was slow. I have no excuse. I think we ran well enough to try the (Kentucky) Derby if Mrs. Craig wants to, and I think I would want to. It (the late scratches of The Pamplemousse and Z Day) changed the whole complexion of the race from what everybody thought for a month. It changed in a few hours.”
 
   NOTES: Winning owner Ahmed Zayat is from Hackensack, N.J.

Musket Man turned in a solid performance to win the $500,000 Illinois Derby at Hawthorne, coming from mid-pack with a strong four-wide move on the turn, and holding off Giant Oak to win by two lengths. His Greatness finished third. Musket Man paid $7.60 as the narrow favorite.

Time of the race for 1 1/8 miles was 1:49.91 after fractions of :23.84, :47.67, 1:12.30 and 1:37.44.

Ridden for the first time by Eibar Coa, Musket Man was coming off a neck victory in the Tampa Bay Derby March 14 when he encountered traffic problems throughout. He had smooth sailing Saturday, tracking the early pace of Perfect Song while between horses in fifth position, then accelerated when called upon with about three eighths of a mile to run.

This was the fifth win in six starts for the son of Yonaguska, a Cherokee Run stallion. Musket Man was purchased for just $15,000 at the Keeneland September yearling sale. He races for Eric Fein and Vic Carlson and is trained by Derek Ryan. Musket Man broke his maiden last October at Belmont Park, then came back to win an allowance race Philadelphia Park. He won two of three starts this winter at Tampa Bay Downs, his only loss coming when third behind General Quarters in the Sam F. Davis Stakes.

Illinois Derby chart.

By Francis LaBelle Jr. 

Capt, Candyman Can, turning back to seven furlongs, delivered as the crowd favorite Saturday afternoon by winning the 49^th running of the Grade 3, $200,000 Bay Shore for three-year-olds by three and three-quarter lengths.

Owned by Joseph Rauch and David Zell, the Candy Ride colt earned his third victory from six starts by laying off front-running longshot Hatfield, who was pressed by second-choice Taqarub through splits of 22.51, 45.19 and 1:09.91.

“There was a lot of speed in the race and my horse, he broke good but not fast enough to get up with the speed,” said winning jockey Javier Castellano, whose mount returned $4.40 to win. “He broke a little slow, and I’m glad he did that because I had a chance to set up a little bit and ride up to the speed. I was looking for a good spot and I got it. When I asked him, he took off. I looked for the point and he really went after it.”

Although Taqarub had taken the lead into the lane, Capt. Candyman Can cleared him with ease to win in 1:22.99 on Aqueduct’s fast main track. Winner of Gulfstream Park’s Grade Hutcheson, he rebounded from a fourth-place finish to eventual Florida Derby winner Quality Road in the Grade 2, one-mile Fountain of Youth on February 28.

 “I am very happy,” said winning trainer Ian Wilkes. “Our plan was to settle. I asked (jockey) Javier (Castellano) to give me four lengths at the start; after that, it was up to him. I thought there’d be more speed in the race. 

“I think he’ll run three-quarters, seven-eighths – he‘s a one-turn horse. I think he might stretch out to a mile later on. Our ultimate goal is the (NetJets) King’s Bishop (Grade 1, $300,000, seven furlongs, Aug. 29, Saratoga). In between we have several options. Right now, I am going to enjoy this.”

Kiaran McLaughliin, trainer of runner-up Taqarub, may look to the Grade 2, $250,000 Woody Stephens for three-year-olds at seven furlongs at Belmont Park on Belmont Stakes Day, Saturday, June 6, as a possible next start. 

“He had a great trip – we were just second-best today,” McLaughlin said. “The winner is a very nice horse and congratulations to Ian (Wilkes, trainer) and all his connections.  We were second-best best and happy to be there.”

Yano, at 49-1, was third, followed by Hatfield, Not for Silver, Rocketing Returns, King Puma, Lyin’ Heart and Counter Move.

Gato Go Win was a late scratch.