Down the Shedrow with H. Graham Motion

Trainer H. Graham Motion studied under some of the best in the business in both the United States and Europe. Spending six years under the tutelage of American Hall of Famer Jonathan Sheppard, Motion then went to France where he studied under Jonathan Pease. Taking out his trainer's license in 1993 after a stint with Bernie Bond, the English native has combined the knowledge he gained under those luminaries to produce some of America's top talents, such as champions Animal Kingdom (Leroidesanimaux {Brz}) and Main Sequence (Aldebaran).

Animal Kingdom pulled off a 20-1 upset when capturing the 2011 GI Kentucky Derby in his first start on the dirt and garnered champion 3-year-old honors after following that win with a runner-up effort in the GI Preakness S. Making just two starts in 2012, including a runner-up effort in the GI Breeders' Cup Mile, the chestnut added another feather to Motion's cap with a victory in the 2013 G1 Dubai World Cup.

After a mediocre career in Europe, Main Sequence blossomed under Motion's care with a perfect 2014 season that included impressive come-from-behind wins in the GI United Nations S., GI Sword Dancer S., GI Joe Hirsch Turf Classic S. and GI Breeders' Cup Turf. He was rewarded for those efforts with a pair of Eclipse Awards–for champion older male and champion turf male.

Motion has lost quite a few talented runners from last term to retirement, including GISW Peace and War (War Front); MGSWs Kitten's Point (Kitten's Joy) and Rusty Slipper (Lemon Drop Kid); GSWs Hoop of Colour (Distorted Humor) and Luna Time (Malibu Moon); and MSW Interrupted (Broken Vow). However, the 51-year-old has several nice horses on the comeback trail, including GISW Ring Weekend (Tapit) and the promising graded winner Tin Type Gal (Tapit), as well as some promising sophomores, four of whom are set to run this week.

RING WEEKEND (g, 5, Tapit)

Winner of the 2014 GII Tampa Bay Derby, St. Elias Stable and West Point Thoroughbreds' Ring Weekend displayed an affinity for the grass later in his sophomore season, capturing both the GIII Saranac S. at Saratoga and Belmont's GIII Hill Prince S. The chestnut was last seen winning Santa Anita's GI Frank E. Kilroe Mile S. Mar. 7 (video).

“He just started back galloping. He is at Palm Meadows. He got a foot abcess [after the Kilroe Mile] that has just taken an incredible amount of time to get him over. He ended up having a pretty significant piece of the foot cut away in order to get the abcess out. He just got to Florida the other day and started back galloping. It's still a big production, but he is doing great.”

RAINHA DA BATERIA (f, 4, Broken Vow)

Three Chimneys Farm's Rainha Da Bateria displayed talent right from the get-go as a juvenile, capturing the 2014 GIII Jessamine S. and finishing second in that year's GIII Jimmy Durante S. Winless during her 3-year-old season, the chestnut seemed to take a turn when finishing second in her sophomore finale in Churchill's GII Mrs. Revere S. Nov. 14 and came running late to be a good-looking second to “TDN Rising Star” Tammy the Torpedo (More Than Ready) in last Saturday's GIII Suwannee River S. at Gulfstream (video).

“I was very pleased. Numbers-wise she might have run her best race. I think her last two races have been her two best races, even though she finished second. I was very happy. It was a great way to start the year for sure. I have always had high hopes for this filly and she has been a bit frustrating to be honest, but I feel like she is turning the corner. Possibly Keeneland next, but I'm not going to be in a hurry to run her back.”

MISS TEMPLE CITY (f, 4, Temple City)

Owned by Sagamore Farm, Allen Rosenblum and The Club Racing LLC, Miss Temple City has been one of Motion's most consistent runners, hitting the board in all but one of her nine starts. Victorious in Pimlico's Hilltop S. last May, the dark bay was a creditable fourth when sent across the pond for Royal Ascot's G1 Coronation S. Second in her Stateside return in Saratoga's GII Lake Placid S. last August and third in Belmont's GII Sands Point S. a month later, she came charging late to miss by just a head in Keeneland's GI Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup when last seen Oct. 10 (video).

“She will have her first breeze this weekend. She is in Camden, South Carolina. Keeneland will be a stretch for her, but I think Churchill will be a possibility. The [GII Churchill Distaff Turf Mile] on Derby Day would be the logical race if things went well.”

MISS ELLA (f, 4, Exchange Rate)

A debut winner at Gulfstream last March, Miss Ella followed that up with a victory in Keeneland's GII Beaumont S. a month later. Off the board in the GI Acorn S. and GIII Victory Ride S., the Jack Swain III homebred finished second behind GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint runner-up and “TDN Rising Star” Lady Shipman (Midshipman) when switched to the turf in Saratoga's Coronation Cup S. Winner of the grassy Christiecat S. at Belmont in September, the bay was last seen finishing a non-factor 10th in Keeneland's GII Raven Run S. Oct. 17. She had her first breeze since Feb. 6, going three furlongs in :39 flat at Camden.

“Miss Ella is also in Camden and she had her first easy breeze last weekend. We plan to run her on the grass this year. I thought her grass race was really good at Saratoga. She was beaten by a good filly [Lady Shipman]. I think that's where she wants to be. Her mother was a grass horse and I think we just got lucky that she handled the dirt. I think the grass is where she wants to be.”

MESSI (GER) (g, 6, New Approach {Ire})

A two-time winner in his native Germany, Gestut Brummerhof homebred Messi started off his American career with a pair of impressive optional-claimer wins on the Saratoga lawn last summer. Off the board behind a sensational performance from Flintshire (GB) (Dansili {GB}) in the GI Sword Dancer S. upstate, the chestnut returned to winning ways in Belmont's GIII Knickerbocker S. Oct. 10 and has not been seen since finishing fifth in Churchill's GIII River City H.

“Messi is in Camden. He got a really bad ulcer in his eye when he ran at Churchill that day and he actually almost lost the eye. Fortunately, it looks like we saved the eye and he just started back galloping, so he was off for quite some time after that race.”

TIN TYPE GAL (f, 3, Tapit)

Seventh when unveiled over the Saratoga main track, Tin Type Gal showed a new dimension when switched to the turf, earning her diploma in a 1 1/16-mile test upstate Aug. 23. Victorious in Belmont's GIII Miss Grillo S. next out Sept. 27 (video), the My Meadowview Farm homebred was one of the buzz horses going into the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, but was scratched late when Motion felt she was not quite right. Out of GISW Miss Shop (Deputy Minister), the chestnut hails from the family of GISW Power Broker (Pulpit) and GSW & GISP sire Trappe Shot (Tapit).

“She popped a splint [before the Breeders' Cup] and she is just starting back galloping. She is in Camden also.”

TIGER RIDE (f, 4, Candy Ride {Arg})

Winner of Indiana's one-mile TaWee S. last July, Tiger Ride finished fourth in the GIII Monmouth Oaks, but got back on track when returned to the scene of her last success for the Indiana Grand S. Sept. 9. The Dixiana Farms homebred sprung a mild upset over GI Mother Goose S. heroine Include Betty (Include) when capturing Keeneland's GIII Valley View S. last time Oct. 24 (video). The bay already has four works at Palm Meadows this year, most recently breezing five furlongs in 1:02.05 Feb 6.

“She is doing well. She breezed 5/8ths at Palm Meadows and she will probably point to Keeneland.”

J LA TACHE (f, 3, Harlan's Holiday)

J La Tache has had the misfortune of facing some of the best of her generation in her first five trips to the post. Second to “TDN Rising Star” Constellation (Bellamy Road) on debut sprinting at the Spa last August, the My Meadowview Farm homebred was third to subsequent GI Frizette S. winner Nickname (Scat Daddy) a month later and filled that spot again in an Oct. 10 Keeneland test behind MSW Stageplay (Curlin) and next-out graduate and eventual GSW Carina Mia (Malibu Moon). Fifth behind a “TDN Rising Star” performance from Carina Mia in Lexington three weeks later, J La Tache closed to be a very close third behind an impressive performance from Hold Harmless (Blame) when switched to the turf and extended to 1 1/16 miles at Gulfstream Jan. 2 (video). The bay is entered in a six-furlong maiden special on the Gulfstream main track Wednesday (race 5).

“I liked her grass race. It's been tough to get in the grass races in Florida and I kind of felt off her last race like getting her back on the dirt. I am giving her a try sprinting on the dirt because she handled it very well.”

WAR ORDER (c, 3, War Front)

Third sprinting on the Saratoga lawn in August, War Order improved to second when stretched out to a route there last September. The Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Thani runner was off the board in his last two efforts, going a mile on the Belmont sod Oct. 18 and cut back to 7 1/2 furlongs on the Hallandale lawn Dec. 12. The dark bay will try the main track for the first time Wednesday in a one-mile 40-yard maiden special weight at Tampa Bay Downs (race 8).

“He is a horse I like a lot. I am frustrated because I have had a hard time getting him back in on the grass. He has always worked well on the dirt, so I kind of wanted to get him in an easier circuit and try him on the dirt. He is a horse I like a lot and I can't believe he is still a maiden, to be honest.”

SCHOLAR ATHLETE (c, 3, Einstein {Brz})

West Point Thoroughbreds' Scholar Athlete closed out his juvenile season with a third-place effort in the Coronation Futurity on the Woodbine synthetic Nov. 8. Returning in a turf test at Gulfstream Feb. 6, he closed strongly to finish a close third.

“I was really pleased with him. I thought it was a good effort. We tried him on the dirt at Palm Meadows and I didn't think he worked well on the dirt compared to the synthetic at Fair Hill. Most likely we will ship him to the [John] Battaglia [Memorial S. Mar. 12] at Turfway for his next start.”

RAFTING (c, 3, Tapit)

A non-factor seventh in his career bow in a turf route at the Spa last August, Rafting broke through with a decisive victory when switched the main track and cut back to seven panels there a month later. Third in a 1 1/16-mile allowance on the Keeneland main track Oct. 17, the Wertheimer et Frere homebred captured the Smooth Air S. when last seen at Gulfstream Park West Nov. 28 (video) and most recently breezed five furlongs at Palm Meadows in 1:00.65 Feb. 6.

“He runs on Saturday in the [GIII] Sam F. Davis [S.] at Tampa. I'm excited to get him started. We kind of decided to give him a little break after that race at [Gulfstream Park West]. We wanted to freshen him up a little bit with the idea that he's had a couple of races and he just can't keep going, especially if you want to run him in 3-year-old races. I have been very happy with his works and I am excited to get him started.”

UP WITH THE BIRDS (h, 6, Stormy Atlantic)

Two-time Sovereign Award winner Up With the Birds, victor of the 2013 GI Jamaica H. which is now known as the GI Belmont Derby, was transferred from Malcolm Pierce to Motion after his 2014 season. Winless in six starts for this barn, the Sam-Son Farm homebred finished second in the GI Canadian International S. Oct. 18 and was ninth last time in the GII Hollywood Turf Cup S. Nov. 26.

“Up With the Birds is coming back to me next week. He has been at the farm in Ocala.”

KASSEOPIA (GB) (c, 3, Showcasing {GB})

Team Valor International and Gary Barber's Kasseopia is set to make his first start for Motion in Saturday's GIII El Camino Real Derby at Golden Gate. Off the board in his debut at Doncaster in July, the chestnut finished second next out at Kempton in August and donned cap and gown there a month later. He made his last start for trainer Charlie Fellowes in Woodbine's GIII Grey S. Oct. 4 (video), where he finished second to Riker (Include), who suffered his first defeat next out in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile.

“The horse I am running this weekend that we probably should mention is Kasseopeia, a horse of Team Valor's. He ran in the Grey up at Woodbine for his English trainer. He is running on Saturday at Golden Gate in the El Camino Real Derby.”

–@CDeBernardisTDN