Kentucky Derby: views from trainers of Mendelssohn's rivals – plus race replays

Jason Servis, trainer of Firenze Fire
Do I wish the race was a mile? Yes. But it’s a mile and a quarter, so it is what it is.

Dale Romans, trainer of Free Drop Billy and Promises Fulfilled
If I had to handpick the posts I probably would have picked a little differently. We'll work with what we have. Promises Fulfilled will go to the front and Free Drop Billy will be closing late.

Mark Casse, trainer of Flameaway
We've said all along we're going to be up close to the lead. It’s always nice to run the shortest way around on the inside. He's a horse that in the beginning was just average and as he's got older he's got better and better.

Todd Pletcher, trainer of Audible, Magnum Moon, Vino Rosso and Noble Indy
We’ve had a great spring. All four horses are doing really well and are coming into it in good shape and coming off big wins. It's a great position to be in and, at the same time, it looks like a loaded Derby. The horses are doing well. I feel good. But I appreciate how difficult it is to win. Ideally, I wouldn't want three of my four horses in the auxiliary gate but it's horseracing and that's what happens. We've all seen it before: good trips from bad posts or vice-versa. Magnum Moon and Noble Indy have tactical speed, so in a best-case scenario they'll be able to get good spots despite the post. If they go fast up front, Audible is fine settling back. If they go slow, he can not let them get away from him. We'll hope for a good break for our horses and then see what happens. It figures to be a very interesting race.

Chad Brown, trainer of Good Magic
He has a very determined attitude and that race in the Blue Grass provided him more experience in tight quarters and I was proud that he stepped up there. The horse continues to train really, really well. He just keeps following another day of 'better than the day before'. I couldn't be happier with him – the horse is moving so, so well right now. He's getting over the track well, mechanically he's so sound and smooth. As a trainer it's what you're looking for going into a race like this.

Bob Baffert, trainer of Justify and Solomini
We have a good enough horse that can win it but it's a very competitive race. But we're here with just three outs because we have a superior racehorse and that’s why he's made it here. It's going to be a great race but you're going to have to have some luck. Justify has done everything he's been asked to do. He has a good mind and doesn't get excited but you need racing luck and I've led the best horse up there before and got beat. If he doesn't break well it doesn't matter what hole he's in. We only have one option. We have to break. He’s lightly raced and he has to leave there running. I have Solomini in there to pick up the pieces in case things fall apart up front. It’s nice to have a couple more weapons. He's a horse that’s right there and tries hard every time. He won't wow you in the mornings. He's made $700,000 and won a Grade 1, got disqualified, but he’s a nice horse and he just hasn’t hit that next level that we're always looking for.

Tom Amoss, trainer of Lone Sailor
We knew he would be a long shot. But we also know he's a long shot with a big chance to improve. He's got a real chance to step forward.

Bill Mott, trainer of Hofburg
I try to downplay the Derby when I don't have a horse in it! But of course anybody would have to realise that it would be a great race to win. We're happy to be here and we want to run well and we want to be proud of our horse after the race – and I think he will make us proud.

Keith Desormeaux, trainer of My Boy Jack
We're checking all the clues and he's making us happy. He's got that good appetite and it continues. He's got good energy going to the track and back at the barn. He's feeling good and that's what you want coming up to a race, especially a big race.

Mick Ruis, owner-trainer of Bolt D'Oro
When he dropped from first to fifth or sixth now [in the betting] after he lost the Santa Anita Derby, every week I just put more money in a suitcase to come here to bet on him Saturday. That's how confident we are. This is the best we’ve had him.

Kiaran McLaughlin, trainer of Enticed
He won here last fall. He has good foundation. He's had six races. He's doing very well. He has a great mind and a great pedigree. He has certain things that come into play on Saturday evening. It's a tough race and there seems like there's a lot of pace. The best-case scenario would be if three or four of them go real fast early and we can drop back to 12th or so and make a run, and obviously get there.

D Wayne Lukas, trainer of Bravazo
The post position I like, the strategy I won't talk about. There are horses on either side of us who don’t break real sharp, so we should get a good position.

Jerry Hollendorfer, trainer of Instilled Regard
He's handling the track well and he's settled in well. Nothing seems to be bothering him at this point in time. We have no excuse walking over. He’s been doing quite well. His last couple races weren't quite up to par, but there were different factors in those two races. There’s quite a lot of speed signed on in this race, so it’ll be interesting to see what develops up front. It might help him tactically.

Steve Asmussen, trainer of Combatant
I don't think he's necessarily had a good trip through the series at Oaklawn. With the way the track was playing and how he had drawn, I think things could have been a lot different for him. The best is definitely yet to come for him, whether it’s this Saturday or a date following. Obviously, 20 isn't the post I was looking for.

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