Bill Mott

Bill Mott's Barn 19 was busy Monday morning as Kentucky Derby and Oaks hopefuls GSW Resilience (Into Mischief) and MGISW Just F Y I (Justify) put in published five-furlong workouts. The former galloped about one mile before producing a move clocked in 1:01.60 under jockey Junior Alvarado and easily galloped out six furlongs in 1:14.60, according to Churchill Downs clocker John Nichols. "He's the type of horse that has taken a little more time to mature than some others," trainer Bill Mott said. "We took our time with his development...

   In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This week's column is highlighted by the victory of Beaute Cachee in the Jenny Wiley S. at Keeneland last weekend.   Literato Mare Earns Grade I Ring Beaute Cachee (Fr) (Literato {Fr}) gave trainer Chad Brown his seventh win in the GI Jenny Wiley S. at Keeneland for owners Madaket Stables, LLC, Michael Dubb and Louis Lazzinnaro, LLC (video). A mere €1,500 Arqana Autumn yearling when picked up by trainer Gael Barbedette,...

Trainer Bill Mott's barn sent out a pair of Classic aspirants Thursday morning, including Emily Bushnell and Ric Waldman's GII Wood Memorial winner Resilience (Into Mischief) along with George Krikorian's GI Ashland S. runner-up Just F Y I (Justify). The two returned to the work tab to continue their preparations for the GI Kentucky Derby and GI Kentucky Oaks, respectively. The duo began their work together at 7:30 a.m. ET after galloping about one mile. The defending champion juvenile filly Just F Y I worked to the outside of Resilience...

After a long lifetime marked by notable wins on the racetrack and in the business world, prominent owner-breeder, entrepreneur and philanthropist Marty Wygod has passed away aged 84. "I have so many good memories of Marty Wygod. I was telling Emily [Bushnell, Wygod's daughter] this morning, one of my favorite things about Marty was he had a great sense of humor," said trainer John Shirreffs, who conditioned some of Wygod's heaviest hitters on the track. Wygod, said Shirreffs, was also something of a prankster. "The first time I met him...

4th-Keeneland, $95,050, Msw, 4-11, 3yo/up, 6 1/2f, 1:16.65, sy, 9 lengths. JEFFERSON STREET (c, 3, Street Sense--Apiary, by Bernardini) proved the third time was the charm, breaking his maiden in his Keeneland debut Thursday. Unveiled at Saratoga last summer, we finished third but notably ten lengths behind the winner, next-out GI Champagne S. runner up General Partner (Speightstown). On the bench for the rest of the year, the homebred returned at Gulfstream to again be third but showed an improved effort, earning a 91 Beyer Speed Figure in defeat as...

Trainer Ralph Nicks will call it a career Sunday after saddling a horse for the final time at Gulfstream Park. "It's time," Nicks said. "I've been here a long time. It's just the way the business is going, with clients passing away. I've had a lot of years invested. I want to get away and do some things before I get too old and can't." The 57-year-old has saddled 722 winners, including Caledonia Road, the winner of the 2017 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies at Del Mar who was subsequently...

Emily Bushnell and Ric Waldman's Resilience (c, 3, Into Mischief--Meadowsweet, by Smart Strike) punched his ticket to the GI Kentucky Derby for Hall of Famer Bill Mott in an eventful renewal of Saturday's GII Wood Memorial S. at Aqueduct. Last out Aqueduct maiden winner Society Man (Good Magic), off at boxcar odds of 106-1, was second. Another longshot Protective (Medaglia d'Oro), a maiden of two starts, was third at 38-1. The race was marred by a spill in the stretch when the Uriah St Lewis owned/trained-longshot Deposition (Constitution) appeared to...

Billed as a showdown between the top three finishers of the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, Keeneland's opening day GI Central Bank Ashland S.--worth not just $600,000 in purse money but also GI Kentucky Oaks points on a 100-50-25-15-10 scale--instead featured the blossoming of Whisper Hill Farm's 'TDN Rising Star' Leslie's Rose (f, 3, Into Mischief--Wildwood Rose {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}), who left no doubt about the top filly on the day with a three-length tour de force. George Krikorian's Breeders' Cup winner and Eclipse champion Just F Y I...

2nd-KEE, $110K, OC/N1X, 3yo, 6f, 1:32 p.m. ET. PIRATE (Omaha Beach) begins his 3-year-old campaign after he broke his maiden at first asking and secured 'TDN Rising Star' honors last July at Saratoga. The dark bay then ran third to Nutella Fella (Runhappy) and fellow 'Rising Star' Timberlake in the GI Hopeful S. just before the meet upstate closed for the summer. A $350,000 purchase by Starlight Racing and Harrell Ventures at the Keeneland September Sale, the Todd Pletcher trainee is a half-brother to GI Preakness S. and GI Pegasus...

Kentucky Senator Henry Clay might be considered one of the premier American politicians pre-Lincoln, but what is not up for debate was his fervent commitment to breeding equine athletes and attending the races. You cannot actually visit his home--Ashland--because the structure that stands on the Clay Estate just south of downtown Lexington is not original to "The Great Compromiser" and his time. However, interpretations of Clay-related objects enliven the tour. Ashland in name was imported as a stakes race when Keeneland opened in 1936. Some familiar female runners who graced...

7th-GP, $89K, MSW, 3yo, 1 1/16m, 4:15 p.m. DERBY STREET (Street Sense) sold to Pin Oak Stud for $700,000 at the 2022 Keeneland September Sale from breeder Bonne Chance Farm. Out of a winning Medaglia d'Oro mare who has already produced two winners from two to race, the Bill Mott trainee traces back to third dam Quiet Dance, the dam of Horse of the Year Saint Liam (Saint Ballado) along with GISW Funtastic (More Than Ready) and GSW Quiet Giant, herself the mother of Horse of the Year and successful...

5th-GP, $89K, Msw, 3yo, 7f, 1:26 p.m. ET IDONEO (Uncle Mo), the first foal out of SW and GII Mother Goose S. runner-up Classic Fit (Bernardini), has been working smartly for this debut run for Bill Mott. The Godolphin homebred has posted six bullet workouts at Payson Park since January, including a three-furlong move in :36 3/5 (1/11) Mar. 25. The 'Boys in Blue' will also be represented by fellow debuting homebred Six Kings (Nyquist), who was produced by a half-sister to GISW Film Maker (Dynaformer). He is trained by...