2012 Santa Anita Derby Day

By Cindy Pierson Dulay, About.com Guide

Jockey Mario Gutierrez, celebrating his first Grade 1 win, said, "This is so unbelievable. He is such a good horse and he gave me a big kick at the end. There wasn't any doubt in my mind that my horse would give me everything in the stretch leading up to the wire."

Trainer Doug O'Neill said, "It was a great ride by Gutierrez. To me, he's the closest thing to Bejarano we've got. He's such a brilliant rider and he's got real finesse. He's confident but a humble kid. If you can't get Bejarano, why not Gutierrez? I saw Creative Cause come up on the inside and I thought for a split second, running second in the Santa Anita Derby is pretty freaking good. All the wins are big at the time, but right now, this feels as big as it ever gets. I loved the way the race unfolded and how Mario had him positioned going into the first turn. Creative Cause coming up on the inside definitely gave me a scare, but our horse fought on. He's doing so good. Hopefully, he comes out of this good and if he's 100%, it's on to Louisville."