2008 Donn Handicap and Swale Stakes

Winning trainer Doug O'Neill said, "We were so excited because he had been training really, really well. He had always shown us he was versatile and obviously Eibar rode a great race. We all needed to see (that performance) before he stamped himself a classic distance horse. When he trains in the morning he just doesn’t get tired, but there are a lot (of horses) like that. When you put them in the afternoon (race), they don’t hold that up under competition. We don’t know which race (Mile or World Cup) in Dubai we want right now. We’ll talk it over with the owners, decide a strategy and play it by ear."

Jockey Eibar Coa added, "He broke perfect from the gate, but I was a little worried because he was a little sharp at the beginning. He was about a half-length too close, but then he came back to me. I found my way out on the turn and just let him be. Then he took the lead in the stretch. This was the first time I’ve ridden this horse since he just shipped in from California. (O'Neill) told me that he would be sharp and to try to get him back and then let him be, just like it happened."