Winning jockey Martin Garica, Cupid - “It’s hard for horses to break their maiden and then step up to this kind of company with this many people around and win, but he did. He’s still green. When we hit the top of the stretch, he got lonely and he locked in on the other horse that was coming up on the outside he responded one more time. He showed a lot of ability and we know he can run. He really proved today that he is improving. The distance doesn’t matter, he can go as far as he wants.”

Trainer Ron Moquett, 2nd with Whitmore: “I'm sick of Baffert. As bad as I felt all day and night, I'm more sick of Bob Baffert. That horse was able to get his second quarter in :24. These caliber of horses don't come back from that. When you're a $900,000 Tapit, bred to be what he is, they don't back up. You give them a 24-second quarter ... nobody went with him. I thought somebody would go with him.”

NOTE: Moquett had food poisoning and was questionable to saddle Whitmore for the Rebel.

Jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr., 2nd on Whitmore – “Take nothing away from the winner, he’s a nice horse too. My horse was running and came ready to run but we were just 2nd best today. We will be ready for the Arkansas Derby and see what’s next for us there.”

Jockey Corey Lanerie, 4th on Cherry Wine – “He doesn’t have any speed, so it worked out good. I got over. The second turn, I had to make a decision to go out or stay in and I stayed in. I had a trip. I think the added distance will only help my horse.

Jockey Luis Quinonez, 5th on favorite Suddenbreakingnews – “I was able to save ground, but in the turn I got stopped. I had trouble. Once I got clear, he came running. If I hadn’t gotten stopped, he would have been right there.”

Donnie K. Von Hemel 5th with Suddenbreakingnews: "We got stopped pretty bad, three-eighths pole or so, I think. He was just getting his momentum going, and he (jockey Luis Quinonez), basically, said a horse stopped right in front of him and had to check pretty hard. Otherwise, he's probably going to be right there. That's racing."

Trainer Jinks Fires (Discreetness): "No excuses. Speed was holding."

Trainer Jack Van Berg (Cutacorner): "We just got outrun."