Brian Lynch, winning trainer of Grand Arch (No. 2): "He's a horse that we've sort of campaigned toward this time of year. He usually gets good and we were hoping he was going to bring his 'A' game today. We felt like he needed his last race there at Belmont but he certainly ran big in this race last year and he got the job done today."

"I'm a big fan of King Kreesa's after his last couple of races, and to beat him in a hard-fought stretch drive, it was a thrilling race. When the fractions came up I thought King Kreesa was ridden very comfortably the way he was looking around. I thought he had a lot more gas in the tank, but [jockey] Luis [Saez] never let him get too far out of reach and we were able to grind him down."

Luis Saez, winning jockey aboard Grand Arch (No. 2): "He ran the best. Man, that horse ran big. I know the last time he got a bad post. He broke from the outside and didn't have a good trip. Today he got a good position. I had to break and be close. That's where he loves to be, close and covered up. When we came into the stretch, I was like 'Oh, we got this.' When in the clear, he ran. He took off."

Shug McGaughey, trainer of runner-up and beaten favorite Ironicus (No. 3): "When they left the eighth pole I thought maybe he'd do it. You know, no pace. Javier said he moved a little sooner than he wanted to. No pace, no trip. Javier was very pleased with the way he kicked. I'm disappointed we lost, but I'm not disappointed in the effort. Hats off to Grand Arch."

Javier Castellano, jockey aboard runner-up and beaten favorite Ironicus (No. 3): "They went too slow. The pace - :24 and change, :48, 1:12, even numbers. It's hard to come from behind like that and still I'm not that disappointed at all. He finished so well; really, really, strong. I think the last quarter [mile] went in :22. He's a nice horse, he gets some ground in the last part of the race and gets going. Unfortunately, it's out of control when there's no pace in the race."