Pure Clan is the fourth choice on the morning-line for the F&M Turf (Lauren Pomeroy/Horsephotos.com)

"He's coming out of those one-turn races where he's stalked 45 and change; he's not usually quick coming out of the gate. In a big field like (the Classic [G1]), you don't know if they're standing in the gate longer how they're going to break out of there, but once he does get out I expect him to be forwardly-placed. He's been stalking in all of his races, albeit at a shorter distance. Since he's going from a mile to a mile and a quarter, that last quarter you're going to be holding your breath."

—Rick Mettee, assistant to trainer Saeed bin Suroor, on GIROLAMO (A.P. Indy), who will stretch out to 10 furlongs off an easy win in the one-mile Jerome H. (G2) at Belmont

"If he's in the lead, I'll head back to my car. He's a horse that falls back and lays off the pace. When he gets a run in he's got about a good 2 1/2-furlong move, so pace is going to be a factor. He's a small horse so hopefully they don't jostle him around too much. He's gotta really step it up in this company. And you know with those European horses, they're the X-factor, they came in here last year and humiliated everybody and they're good horses this year, too."

—Bob Baffert on late-running Pacific Classic (G1) hero RICHARD'S KID (Lemon Drop Kid), who will enter the Classic off a third-place finish in the Goodwood S. (G1)

Mushka took in her surroundings on Wednesday (Lauren Pomeroy/Horsephotos.com)

"He's been here since October 8, and he loves Santa Anita. He likes warm weather and he likes a firm turf course, so this is the ideal place for him. Conduit (Ire) (Dalakhani) has a big late kick, and 'Presious' has never met a horse with a kick like that. But he won't be looking back, anyway. And he could take the Europeans out of their game the way he runs, because I don't think they've ever seen anything like him."

—Mary Hartman on PRESIOUS PASSION (Royal Anthem), who ran off to an early 20-length lead when posting a remarkable victory in this summer's United Nations (G1); the lone speed in Saturday's Turf (G1) exits an easy 2 1/2-length score in the October 11 Clement L. Hirsch Turf Championship (G1) at Santa Anita

"She's a top filly at a mile and a half. This is a pretty quick mile and a half, you know. You run downhill for the first section. And the ground will be firm. We thought about (the 1 1/4-mile Filly & Mare Turf [G1]), but the problem with the mile and a quarter here is it rides like a nine-furlong race. You come straight over the main track and around the flat oval. She's a mile-and-a-half filly. I think to be fair to the filly you've got to run her over a trip. It's as simple as that."

—three-time Breeders' Cup race winner John Gosden on why he opted for the Turf over the Filly & Mare Turf for multiple Group 1 queen DAR RE MI (GB) (Singspiel [Ire]), who exits a fifth in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (Fr-G1)

"It is a great honor, but I don't even think about being the only woman. My gender never helped me or hurt me. I've faced the same challenges as any other trainer coming up through the ranks. It's nice to be the only woman, but what is really nice is to have a horse like this one. To have one like her is what I have dreamed about."

—Josie Carroll, who sent out CARELESS JEWEL (Tapit) to an 11-length romp in the Alabama S. (G1), on becoming the first woman trainer to win the prestigious event at Saratoga; Careless Jewel, who owns a five-race winning streak, will be the one to catch in Friday's Ladies' Classic (G1)

Dad's Crazy is on the also-eligible list for the Juvenile Fillies Turf (Lauren Pomeroy/Horsephotos.com)

"He lives in the one-hole, that's his home. I ought to hang a haynet in there for him."

—Baffert joking about ZENSATIONAL (Unbridled's Song), who has broken from the rail in his last two wins and is listed as the 7-5 morning-line favorite from the innermost post in the Sprint (G1)

"If they hook up they're gonna go 20 and change and he'll go with them 'cuz I can't stop my horse. So I'm at the mercy of those other two speed horses, but that's one of those things you can't worry about. He's got one style, one dimension, and he just goes. We don't know what he's made of for the second part of it, but if he's a great horse then he'll fight everybody off."

—Baffert on Zensational's running style

Cost of Freedom had the opportunity to enjoy the San Gabriel backdrop (Lauren Pomeroy/Horsephotos.com)

"I think my best chance is to do the 'Rosie Ruiz.' We've got to jump in at the quarter pole."

—Hall of Famer Richard Mandella tongue in cheek about CROWN OF THORNS' (Repent) chances in the Sprint; Ruiz was the distance runner who, after falsely qualifying for the 1980 Boston Marathon jumped in during the running of the New England classic and initially was declared the first woman finisher. Her ruse was discovered shortly thereafter and her title was replaced by an ongoing dose of infamy

"Very interesting the way the race came up with all the speed down inside. Zensational is on the fence and I'd hope to be leaning on him. But Fatal Bullet (Red Bullet) is right next to me in the 3 (post) and he's likely to be leaning on me. Could be we're all going to set it up for Gayego (Gilded Time) (a likely closer)."

—trainer John Sadler on COST OF FREEDOM (Cee's Tizzy), who enters the Sprint off just starts this year following a near 12-month break

"We're shooting for the moon there. He's a hard-trying and consistent horse, but this is a pretty ambitious spot to run him in."

—a philosophic Todd Pletcher on the Sprint chances of JOIN IN THE DANCE (Sky Mesa)

Father Time is a Group 2 winner at 1 1/2 miles (Lauren Pomeroy/Horsephotos.com)

"Yes, which wasn't a very high confidence last year. Handicapping is one of those things that isn't my strong point. My philosophy, I suppose, is to prepare my horses the best I can for the races they're going to run in and put it in the hands of the gods. When your expectations are too high, it gets depressing when you lose, so I just try to get them up to the race the best I can and not worry about the others."

—trainer Jonathan Sheppard when asked if he's as confident in FOREVER TOGETHER (Belong to Me) taking the Filly & Mare Turf (G1) as he was last year

"She's going to light up the toteboard. They'll think lightning hit it."

—conditioner Eric Guillot enthused Wednesday following a two-mile jog from CHAMPAGNE D'ORO (Medaglia d'Oro), who is headed for the Juvenile Fillies (G1)

Potosina was an easy winner in her only turf race (Lauren Pomeroy/Horsephotos.com)

"I'm very nervous and excited, but I keep telling myself I need to stay calm, keep working, and see what happens. I'm not going to think about it anymore. I'll think about it Friday when she goes in the gate."

—24-year-old Juan Vazquez, who will saddle his first Breeders' Cup starter when sending MS VANENZZA (Successful Appeal) into the Juvenile Fillies

"He's going to stand stud next year so this will either be his last race, or the Cigar Mile (G1) three weeks from now will be his last race. Now that he won his Grade 1 (Forego S. at Saratoga), we didn't think there was any harm in taking another shot at this race."

—Rick Mettee discussing Dirt Mile (G1) candidate PYRO (Pulpit)

Diamondrella will try her luck against the boys in the Turf Sprint (Lauren Pomeroy/Horsephotos.com)

"It's kind of odd not having him here. We were actually toying with the idea of running him in the Breeders' Cup Marathon, but everything since '04 when he won the Breeders' Cup has been a bonus. Certainly we miss having him around, but we've been lucky having him around the last couple of years. He's the reason I got here the first time, and I kind of feel like he gave me the momentum to come back the last four or five years. Now I'm spoiled. It would be hard to not come back. To me, this is my Derby. Everybody loves to go to the Derby, but it means more to me to be here with three serious contenders. There's nothing like it."

—trainer Graham Motion discussing the personal impact of Better Talk Now, the recently retired 10-year-old who he trained to victory in the 2004 Turf

"We started from scratch. We did a lot of jogging and trotting exercises for about six weeks. We have a nice rolling countryside at the farm and thought hill exercise would be good for him. We have some nice quiet dirt roads, one of which is downhill to the bridge. When you come up, it's about three-eighths of a mile of a good steady incline. When we let him jog up, he gets a good conditioning without putting strain on the legs at all."

—Sheppard explaining how he got Marathon entrant CLOUDY'S KNIGHT (Lord Avie) back into racing shape following a layoff of more than a year due to a soft tissue injury in a hind leg

Noble's Promise has captured his last three for McPeek (Lauren Pomeroy/Horsephotos.com)

"In my opinion, (D' Funnybone) has been the most impressive two-year-old so far this year. Even though Baffert's horse has won four, it didn't look like he was winning as impressive as our horse did. He's had the right kind of time between his last (race) and the Juvenile. We like going into the big races with a fresh horse, and we've got that. If he likes the track, they're going to be in trouble."

—Dutrow on his Juvenile contender D'FUNNYBONE (D'wildcat), who enters the race off two easy graded wins for his conditioner

"I like to call him the little engine that could. He was a modest purchase ($10,000) and has just exceeded all expectations. He's very fast and loves his work."

—conditioner Kenny McPeek, who will saddle NOBLE'S PROMISE (Cuvee) in the Juvenile

Biancone is hoping Pulsion lives up to his name next year (Lauren Pomeroy/Horsephotos.com)

"This is the Breeders' Cup and the difference between this and other races is that most of the time, there will be there will be three or four dominant horses in the field in those other races. But in the Breeders' Cup there will be 11 or 12 very good horses in the race. So you need to be lucky. That's just the way it goes and that's what's unbelievable about the Breeders' Cup."

—trainer Patrick Biancone, who will saddle ZIP QUIK (City Zip) in the Juvenile Turf (G2) and PULSION (Include) in the Juvenile

"His mother is Spring (Stravinsky) and the Derby is run in the spring, so that's how I came up with his name."

—Biancone describing how he named Pulsion, whose name in French means "spring fever"