Winning jockey Colby Hernandez said, "I knew there was quite a bit of speed and when they broke they were ripping right along there. When I got around going into the second turn I just eased my hands out a little bit and he just picked it up for me. I smooched at him at the 1/4 pole and he just ran on by."
Owner-breeder Evelyn Benoit added, "From day one we felt he was an outstanding horse and Al (Stall, trainer) did a tremendous job getting him ready and teaching him to relax and go get them." Sunbean was an also-eligible for the Risen Star and could have drawn in. Benoit added, "It's not about whether we would have won or lost; it's about showing that Louisiana can put an animal out there that's as competitive as Kentucky or New York and we will do that."
