Click here for a replay of the race and the post-race interview with winning connections.

Tyler Gaffalione (winning rider of favorite Highway Robber)

“First off, I’d like to say thank you to (trainer) Brian (Lynch) and the ownership (Susan and Jim Hill). I’m so thankful to get this opportunity. He’s a very fun horse to ride. He’s a tremendously talented horse. He does everything you ask. He’s push-button, with a tremendous turn of foot. Obviously we had to battle a little bit down the lane, but I never really was worried. He just kind of waited when he got up to (Bold Act-IRE). 

“(I) most definitely (liked the way the fast pace materialized). On form it looked like it could set up that way. My horse was in a nice, even tempo. I was happy with where I was, and that was my main concern at that point.”

Brian Lynch (winning trainer)

“It was very much a tactical jockeys’ race, wasn’t it? That turns everything around, when you get them going so quick in front like that. Tyler seemed to ride him so comfortably and he had a good tempo going, we just had to pray the traffic opened up and he could get through when he got through. It was such a game effort, to head-bob (trainer) Charlie Appleby’s horse (Bold Act-IRE) out, because (horses trained by Appleby are) hard to get by. 

“(Highway Robber) is certainly trying to get better, and he’s certainly found his niche in these marathon races. We really look forward to him as a 5-year-old. He’s still only a very lightly raced horse. At Gulfstream, we’ve got the Pegasus (World Cup) Turf (Invitational-G1 Jan. 25), so hopefully he can continue on that level. We really look forward to him next year as a 5-year-old.”

Luis Saez (rider of runner-up and defending champion Bold Act-IRE)

“Clean trip – it was good. He tried hard. He was perfect for me. He came from behind. He is fine; just got beat by a good horse.”

Jose Ortiz (rider of third-place finisher Utah Beach)

“He broke very good. I was able to find a good spot going into the first turn. From there I just tried to wait as long as I could. The pace was a little hot for the distance. I saved a lot of ground. I tried to wait as long as I could. I got a good opening on the inside. My horse was third best.”

On riding pacesetter Cathkin Peak (IRE) in his previous two races

“(The fast pace today) helped me obviously. I knew it was gonna be hot. I have ridden the horse that was on the lead (Cathkin Peak). Last time I rode him, he had a pretty strong mile. I knew if he broke good, it would be hard to get him to relax. I knew he had speed so I was expecting more of like a :48 (half mile) -- :46 seemed pretty fast for the distance.”