$100,000 KONA GOLD STAKES QUOTES

JOCKEY QUOTES

HECTOR BERRIOS, THE CHOSEN VRON, WINNER: “It was always the idea to stay in second and let someone else take the lead. But I felt the pressure from Dettori (Happy Jack) and I had to change my path a bit ,so he wouldn’t pressure me too much. At the three eighths he was pretty comfortable, I just tried to wait for a little longer and he did what he knows how to do. Win. From the break Dettori put pressure on me so I was just very careful that I didn’t let him pass me and leave my horse intimidated, but my horse has such vitality that he was able to surpass that. It was Eric (Kruljac) and the owners decision to enter him in this race. My horse is always ready.

“He like to chase the horses when he sits behind them, he likes a target. That is how he feels most comfortable. He does not like to feel the pressure. The only difference today was the pressure he received from Dettori and (Happy Jack) he likes to run comfortably, so today he made me work a little more.”

TRAINER QUOTES

ERIC KRULJAC, THE CHOSEN VRON, WINNER: “Let’s talk about Bruce Headley. He was the best of all time. He would always go out of his way to throw messages thru his incredible experience and his incredible horsemanship. His grandson is here, I wish Karen was here, his daughter. They are an all-horse family. “It’s been incredible it has been more of a matter of getting out of his way and reading him. Just letting him tell me when he is ready to fire. The last two races he’s done that, and he’s delivered.”

OWNER QUOTES

JOHN SONDEREKER, PART OWNER, THE CHOSEN VRON WINNER: “This horse is special. I never thought that I could have a horse like this. Nobody thinks that they will have a horse that wins 17 out of 22 races it just doesn’t sound possible. Good races. He is the kindest horse I have ever been around in the backside. Totally calm I mean he is like a little ol’ quarter horse, he doesn’t act like a thoroughbred at all. He’s very tame and very calm. Nothing seems to shake him at all. That is probably why he’s such a good horse. We are in no hurry. We give him as much time as he needs because he deserves it. He is a great champion, and we are blessed to be a part of it.”

NOTES: The winning owners are Sondereker Racing LLC, J. Eric Kruljac, Robert Fetkin, and Richard Thornburgh.