Steve Asmussen Quotations

We brought him to Belmont because if he belonged in the Breeders' Cup, I didn't want him to go anywhere else first.

Of course, in a race laden with as much speed as there seems to be in there, I'm going to want to Private Vow as relaxed as possible. I think that he is fast enough. I'm just concerned if he can go far enough.

Potential is great. But when you can throw it down there on the (Daily Racing) Form and you can read it, it's impressive. He's won seven (actually six) in a row and a million dollars. That about covers everything.

I expected a better showing from him. He got tired. He was exhausted when he came back, but he recovered fairly quickly. I think that he's got plenty of miles in him, so it didn't knock him out.

He has every reason to move forward. He got tired, blew hard after the race, and has come back and has trained good.

He looked very comfortable, the horse that we're hoping he'd be.

We're probably looking at a similar scenario, pace-wise, as the Kentucky Jockey Club.

He definitely ran a better race. That's where I was hoping to be last time. We're headed in the right direction. He is still not right where I want him in fitness.

He is the horse. He's in front. There's no performance anybody has seen yet that rivals what he's done.

I thought they both worked really well. You try to treat it as just another work, but I couldn't help being excited by the way they worked.

I was very worried about the loose horse. Any time you see a loose horse on the lead, you get nervous, especially when it's a two-year-old. If (the loose horse) lost concentration at any point and took a right, it would have been very bad.

I was just making sure that they both came out of the work well and they were going to run. I waited until this morning to see if they were still healthy.

I think he ran a good race and right now I'm happy with him. He's still not right where I want him in fitness.

You know why we're here. We brought him to Belmont because if he belonged in the Breeders' Cup I didn't want him to go anywhere else first.

You know why we're here, ... We brought him to Belmont because if he belonged in the Breeders' Cup I didn't want him to go anywhere else first.

You hope he doesn't get caught up in too fast of a pace. I think Lawyer Ron is as fast as anyone out there. The appealing thing about racing for me is that you get to line up and prove it.

Storm Treasure is an extremely laid-back horse and will do anything you want. He's very good company for Private Vow. You want someone with enough talent that Private Vow gets something out of it. Private Vow is a much quicker horse than Storm Treasure, and obviously for the Derby we need (Private Vow) to settle more than he has. That's what we're working on and will continue to do. Private Vow has always been fast enough.

It's a perfect spot. With that many runners, I'm glad he isn't tied down inside.

I train, and I try to stay on schedule. Here and at the Fair Grounds, the thousands of horses I've worked, I'm absolutely secure in it. Sam Houston, Fair Grounds, Churchill, I won't alter my work schedule at any of those places when it's wet.

It wasn't a bad race and one that will help him, it being his first out of the season. We were stalking early and it looked like we were ready to pounce. I liked our position. He needed the race and will improve.

Any time you see a horse loose on the lead like that you get nervous. If that loose horse lost concentration at any point and took a right, it would have been very bad.

I'm definitely not going to rule anything out, ... The three possibilities are the Breeders' Futurity, the Champagne, or training up to the Breeders' Cup.

I'm very pleased. I have the same concerns: can one of them (Private Vow) go far enough and if the other one (Storm Treasure) is fast enough.

I haven't had a 2-turning-3-year-old horse that was this serious of a Derby prospect at this time of year.

The horse worked great. We're extremely pleased with where he's at.

The field will cause a few variables for you that you would like to avoid. We'll see if he is fit enough ... It's just an unanswered question.