America's Best Racing. The Jockey Club.

Voices From The Grandstand

• DRF/NTRA National Handicapping Championship winner Jim Benes, quoted by Dave Tuley in Daily Racing Form, on his thoughts while watching his final selection, Hidethegoodstuff, trying to hang on for an all-important place spot behind eventual race winner Hail Mary:

  When I heard ‘Hail Mary’ coming down the stretch, I thought of my mother Mary, who passed away a few years ago. I wasn’t sure if she was telling me ‘I’m here for you’ or ‘You should have bet on me!

• Starlight Racing managing partner Jack Wolf, quoted by Jennie Rees at courier-journal.com, while walking back to the barn after Shanghai Bobby finishined second in the Holy Bull Stakes last Saturday:

  I think Shanghai Bobby thought he won the race. When they were leading him away, he kept looking back at the winner in the winner’s circle, like he was thinking he should be there.

• Sports consultant Andy Dolich, quoted in the Sacramento Bee, on the cities of Sacramento and Seattle competing for the NBA Kings franchise:

  This is a unique circumstance. We have a Thoroughbred horse race.

• British fashion designer Stella McCartney, quoted in InStyle Magazine, discussing her new L.I.L.Y Absolute fragrance, and some of her other favorite scents:

  I also love the smell of horses. My friend and I always joke that one day we’ll launch a horse fragrance.