Bill Mott

Versatile Harvey's Lil Goil (American Pharoah) turned the tables on Micheline (Bernardini)--who defeated her by a neck last time in the Dueling Grounds Oaks at Kentucky Downs--to become the first Grade I winner for Triple Crown-winning sire American Pharoah in Saturday's GI Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup S. at Keeneland. Off at 7-2 bidding to become Hall of Famer Bill Mott's second winner in this prestigious event, the grey employed her good cruising speed to chase Sweet Melania (American Pharoah) through honest enough fractions of :23.89, :47.75 and 1:12.16. She...

Winner of the 2018 GI Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational S., Channel Maker (English Channel) made amends for a close second in last year's renewal with a front-running score in the 2020 edition Saturday at Belmont. Taking up his preferred position at the head of affairs, the chestnut clicked off splits of :22.89, :49.44 and 1:14.45. Still in front turning for home, the hard-knocking gelding kept on finding in the lane, rolling clear to victory. "We would have wanted to envision it working out this way and it worked out,"...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency PAIR OF BLUE-BLOODS DEBUT IN NY 4th-BEL, $63K, Msw, 3yo/up, 6f, 2:30p.m. Regally bred Godolphin homebred TACTICAL MOVE (First Defence) debuts for Bill Mott in this test off of a string of bullet works, most recently breezing a best-of-30 half-mile in :49 flat on Saratoga's Oklahoma track Sept. 21. He is out of Grade I winner Game Face (Menifee), who is also responsible for GSP Coliseum (Tapit). Chad Brown also unveils a well-bred runner in Juddmonte homebred Starfront (Malibu Moon), a half to GSP Eloquent...

In this continuing series, TDN's Senior Editor Steve Sherack catches up with the connections of promising maidens to keep on your radar. How much buzz was there ahead of Speaker's Corner (c, 2, Street Sense-Tyburn Brook, by Bernardini)'s debut run on closing day at Saratoga? Considering patient Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott's two-for-48 record with debuting juvenile runners sprinting in dirt maiden special weights at the Spa the past five seasons (stat courtesy DRF Formulator), the Godolphin homebred was nonetheless hammered down as the 3-5 favorite facing eight rivals...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency HALF TO WHITMORE DEBUTS AT CHURCHILL 4th-CD, $75K, Msw, 2yo, 6f, 2:14p.m. Ron Moquett unveils a half-brother to his stable star Whitmore (Pleasantly Perfect) in SKIP INTRO (Liam's Map). The $190,000 KEESEP buy's talented older sibling has captured 10 graded events so far for earnings over $3.1-million. Juddmonte homebred Floriform (Into Mischief) also debuts in this test. The bay is out of MSP July Jasmine (Empire Maker), who is a half-sister to MGSW & MGISP Rob Roy (Lear Farn). TJCIS PPs   MOTT UNVEILS GODOLPHIN...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 3rd-Saratoga, $72k, Msw, 2yo, f, 1 1/16mT, 12:33 p.m. Bill Mott saddles Godolphin's debuting SERENE (Tapit), an $800,000 Keeneland September Yearling purchase last year. The chestnut filly is a daughter of multiple Grade I-placed Fascinating (Smart Strike). Out of graded stakes winner Untouched Talent (Storm Cat), Fascinating is a half-sister to Grade I winner Bodemeister (Empire Maker). Also debuting is Peter Brant's Editor at Large (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}). The Chad Brown trainee was a 260,000gns purchase at last year's Tattersalls October sale. Todd...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency BLUE-BLOODED GODOLPHIN FILLY DEBUTS 1st-SAR, $72K, Msw, 2yo, f, 7f, 12:45 p.m. Bill Mott unveils Godolphin homebred CARAMEL SWIRL (Union Rags) in this Spa baby race. Her unraced dam Caramel Snap (Smart Strike) is a daughter of MGSW Fast Cookie (Deputy Minister), making her a half-sister to MGISW freshman sire Frosted (Tapit) and GSW Indulgent (Bernardini). This is also the family of champion Midshipman (Unbridled's Song). Ken McPeek also saddles an firster of interest in Lee Pokoik homebred Tabor Hall (Candy Ride {Arg}). Her SP...

Five of the six runners slated to contest Saratoga's marquee handicap event--the GI Woodward S.--enter into Saturday's 10-furlong affair having won their latest starts. Heading the group is Juddmonte Farm's Tacitus (Tapit), who bounded home an easy 8 3/4-length winner in the 10-furlong Suburban July 4. For that race, trainer Bill Mott gave blinkers another try--even though an earlier equipment experiment failed to result in victory--and was duly rewarded. Last spring, the son of multiple Grade I-winning Close Hatches (First Defence) reeled off consecutive graded scores in the GII Tampa...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 2nd-CD, $97K, Msw, 2yo, f, 6f, 11:30 a.m. ET Gary Barber and Baccari Racing Stable's SALTY AS CAN BE (Into Mischief) opens her account in this sprint, the second event on a star-studded GI Longines Kentucky Oaks day card at Churchill. Bought for $850,000 at Fasig-Tipton Saratoga, the bay is a half-sister to Salty (Quality Road), who won the GI La Troienne S. over this track for these connections in 2018 before selling for $3 million to Don Alberto at Fasig-Tipton November. Other interesting firsters...

It's not his fault. But the fact is that Maximum Security (New Year's Day) has become one of the most chronicled, most contentious Thoroughbreds of recent times. From a lawsuit over his disqualification at Churchill, to the scandal engulfing his former trainer, to his frozen Arabian treasures, to the merit (or otherwise) of his debut for a new barn, one way or another, this extraordinary creature cannot keep out of the headlines. If feeling mischievous, indeed, one might almost say that he will not be the only polarizing incumbent facing...

Godolphin homebred Antoinette (Hard Spun) made all the running in Sunday's $500,000 Saratoga Oaks Invitational S. to more than double her bankroll with a half-length victory over Stunning Sky (Declaration of War). A second-out winner on the Belmont grass last October, the Bill Mott pupil took Aqueduct's rained-off Tepin S. in December. That effort likely had her connections thinking GI Kentucky Oaks, and she resurfaced to be third in the GII Fair Grounds Oaks Mar. 21 behind Saturday's GI Alabama S. runner-up Bonny South (Munnings). Third again when favored in...

Reigning GI Kentucky Derby winner Country House (Lookin At Lucky-Quake Lake, by War Chant) has been secured for stud duty by John Phillips's Darby Dan Farm in Lexington, Kentucky. Country House will be participating in Darby Dan's "Share the Upside" program, and his fee for the 2021 season has been set at $7,500 S&N. "We are excited to stand Country House and to provide breeders the opportunity to breed to a Kentucky Derby winner through our "Share the Upside" program," said Ryan Norton, Darby Dan Farm's stallion director. "There is...