BREEDERS' CUP WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

October 27, 2001

Julio Canani

Jose Valdivia

JULIO CANANI: I love the number 12.

JOSE VALDIVIA: Not yet, at least.

JOSE VALDIVIA: The only thing I did, I haven't seen a jockey put a horse on his shoulders, carry him to the wire yet. He gets along with the horse. He likes to work. He's in my barn 6:30 in the morning. He never complains. He's good as any, believe it or not. If you got the opportunity, somebody give you a good horse, he delivers.

JULIO CANANI: He won the last 28 in 26. He's an amazing animal. He's got so much talent it's scary. I want to thank David Milch for the patience. I keep this horse in the barn for two years. David Milch, also his second Breeders' Cup win, having one with Gilded Time.

JULIO CANANI: I get this horse in 1999. I get this horse in 1999, like a month before the Del Mar Derby. He come out of the race perfect. We went to Santa Anita. He breeze on me a couple of times. One morning his tendon was a little warm. I decide not to gallop him. He come out with a little lesion there. He got a little hole We treat him with some problem. They got in those days, they call the miracle drug, bactums (phonetic). They told me to give it in 7 months. I give it in 14 months and he got no problem in the tendon. You hardly can see anything. He come back for his first race early in the year. Second in the group two. After that, he come out with a big quarter crack. It was raining. They were sealing the track. 7 months threw out completely the hoof. I have no problem. He's a very sound horse except for that quarter crack. His tendon, he don't have nothing.

JOSE VALDIVIA: The main thing, like Julio had said, try not to move too soon, maybe too late. Ride your horse. Don't worry about any kind of bias. If he comes running, it would be very tough. That's what I did. I didn't want to be cute and weed my way through the traffic. As big as the turns is, I didn't think I was going to do so much ground. When I turned him for home, I had all the confidence in the world. He gave me such a powerful kick. I knew that I would get there and knew that if anybody was going around me they would have to be flying literally. He's an amazing horse. Goes of showing you this kind of job this man next to me has done.

JOSE VALDIVIA: Silic is an easy horse to train. This horse got a mind of his own. You have to be careful to move around him in the barn or the stall. In fact, earlier in the year he sent my groom to the hospital. It cost me $4400 by the time the boy come out of there. And he has so much ability. He's incredible, the ability. The stride he got this horse. He breezes on the dirt like he could be a champion in the dirt. But I got experience in horses. They work very good on the dirt, grass horses. And you run them on the dirt and they won't run the same. Very few they -- I mean, grass form to the dirt.

JOSE VALDIVIA: Home probably watching it over there. He didn't feel that good. He got a cold.

JOSE VALDIVIA: I don't know. I guess to be honest with you, I don't think it has sunken in yet. This whole week I felt unbelievable about my chances coming up here. As a matter of fact, once I was supposed to ride in California a two-year-old that was known to be a little skiddish. My agent took me off and he didn't want me to risk getting hurt on the horse. The horse come out of the gate and dropped his rider. the flight here was beautiful, I had nothing but a great time coming back to New York. I started my career in New York, actually haven't been back since '95. All the feelings were just right. I'm feeling great. They scratch one less horse. Usually the mile race tends to be a full field of 14. This year ended up being 12. Just everything felt right and I don't think it's going to sink in yet till tomorrow, get to see the papers and the replay and everything else. I'm still flying. That's what this horse can do to you.

JOSE VALDIVIA: I don't bet, no.

JOSE VALDIVIA: Yes.

JOSE VALDIVIA: I want to say hi to my daughter Isabella.