EIGHT BELLES: The lone filly in the field was never far off the pace and gamely battled to hold second before sustaining a fatal injury while galloping out after the race. "She went out in glory," trainer Larry Jones said. "She went out a champion to us."
DENIS OF CORK: The trailer of most of the race, Denis of Cork made a strong move in the stretch, passing 10 horses in the final quarter of a mile. "We saved every inch of ground," said jockey Calvin Borel, who won last year's Derby aboard Street Sense. "He ran a huge race."
TALE OF EKATI: The Wood Memorial winner ran a fairly even race, advancing from seventh after the first half-mile. "He gave me the move I was expecting," jockey Eibar Coa said. "He just wasn't good enough today but he showed he belongs with these horses."
RECAPTURETHEGLORY: The Illinois Derby winner pressed the early pace, running third. "He was moving so good and then Big Brown went by him and it really ripped his heart out," co-owner and trainer Louis Roussel III said.
COLONEL JOHN: The 4-1 second choice got squeezed at the break and never fully recovered. "He encountered a lot of trouble coming out of the gate," trainer Eoin Harty said.
ANAK NAKAL: Made a late run from back in the pack. "He moved really well at the end," jockey Rafael Bejarano said.
PYRO: The Louisiana Derby winner also was pinched at the start. "We picked up a few horses later but he had no real excuse," jockey Shaun Bridgmohan said.
COWBOY CAL: Closely followed the pacesetting Bob Black Jack before fading in the lane. "He used up too much in the early part of the race," jockey John Velazquez said. "He just did not want to go any further."
Z FORTUNE: Never made a move. "I had a great trip," jockey Robby Albarado said. "He just wasn't fast enough."
SMOOTH AIR: Fell back to 18th at one point before launching a mild rally. "I tried getting him into the race, little by little," jockey Manoel Cruz said. "He tried his best but I think he could do better."
VISIONAIRE: Stumbled at the start and raced with the pack, but did not kick in hard enough. "I had a clean trip but he was in there in a bunch," jockey Jose Lezcano said.
COURT VISION: Raced evenly but had no stretch punch. "I had a good trip inside all the way and slid by a couple of horses with relative ease," jockey Garrett Gomez said. "Turning for home, he was empty."
