Graham Motion

7th-Keeneland, $69,943, Msw, 10-17, 2yo, f, 7f, 1:29.66, ft, 1 1/2 lengths. THINKING (f, 2, Nyquist--Critikal Reason {SP}, by Aptitude) was rated a 4-1 chance to improve off a debut sixth to next-out GIII Matron S. victrix Royal Approval (Tiznow) at Kentucky Downs Sept. 9 and made a successful transition to the main track to graduate at second asking Saturday at Keeneland. One of the first into stride from her high draw, Thinking raced in a share of third and three wide down the backstretch before and chased outside dueling...

On a bright fall morning in Maryland, Arnaud and Leigh Delacour are diligently at work at their Fair Hill-based stable. Arnaud is on the phone, talking logistics with various jockey agents while inspecting a youngster that just returned from a workout. Meanwhile, Leigh leads a troop of four exercise riders and their mounts out for a light jog through the rolling pastures of Fair Hill. When she returns, they'll compare notes and move on to the next set. It takes a special kind of relationship for a couple to successfully...

"It's all I've thought about for forever," said 25-year-old Corbin Blumberg. And he's not really exaggerating. The Potomac, Maryland native was just a toddler when one VHS tape sold him on horse racing for life. Blumberg learned to read by studying past performances, and has since traveled the world in pursuit of furthering his knowledge of the industry. Less than a month before this year's Kentucky Derby, the Godolphin Flying Start graduate signed on as the Racing Manager for Starlight Racing. It was an eventful start to the job when...

Unbeaten Plum Ali (First Samurai) looks to keep her perfect record in tact Sunday in Belmont's GII Miss Grillo S. A debut winner going two turns at Saratoga July 23, the chestnut captured the Mint Juvenile Fillies S. Sept. 7, making her the only black-type winner in the field. Brad Cox saddles a promising runner in Caldee (More Than Ready). Off the board when unveiled in a main track sprint at the Spa July 19, the bay romped by 6 3/4 lengths next out when switched to the turf and...

SUNDAY'S RACING INSIGHTS: By Christie DeBernardis Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency BROWN UNVEILS JUDDMONTE BLUE-BLOOD 3rd-BEL, $63K, Msw, 2yo, 6fT, 2:04 p.m. Juddmonte Farms homebred REALM OF LAW (War Front) makes his career bow in Elmont for trainer Chad Brown. The gray's dam is GSW & MGISP Filimbi (Mizzen Mast), who is a daughter of MGISW millionaire Flute (Seattle Slew). This is also the family of GISW Weep No More (Mineshaft) and GSW Current (Curlin). Todd Pletcher unveils another juvenile of intrigue in the Coolmore contingent's Fighting Force (Air Force...

Wertheimer and Frere homebred Alda (Munnings) will attempt to keep her hot streak going and secure a post in the gate for the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf Sunday in Woodbine's GI Natalma S. A second-out graduate at Belmont July 9, the Graham Motion trainee captured the Catch a Glimpse S. going 6 1/2 panels on the local lawn Aug. 23. Finishing second that day was Dreaming of Drew (Speightster), who romped by six lengths in her main track graduation here July 18. Jimmy Toner ships one in who...

Talented 'TDN Rising Star' Sharing returned to winning ways back on this side of the pond as the public's pick. Beaten a neck in third in her Saratoga unveiling last July, the well-bred chestnut romped in a seven-furlong off the turfer there in August before justifying heavy 1-2 favoritism in Laurel's Selima S. in September. She was let go at 13-1 for the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Santa Anita Nov. 1, but the result was the same, and she picked up right where she left off when...

'TDN Rising Star' and Breeders' Cup heroine Sharing (Speightstown), who represented America valiantly when sent to Royal Ascot last out, will make her return to the States as a likely prohibitive favorite in Friday's GII Edgewood S. at Churchill Downs. Closing fast to be a narrow third debuting at 5 1/2 furlongs on the Saratoga turf last July, she earned her 'Rising Star' badge when proving her versatility with a 6 1/4-length off-the-turf graduation next out. Capturing the Selima S. at Laurel, she scored at 13-1 in the GI Breeders'...

Bye Bye Melvin took to the rain-soaked turf well at Saturday Saturday, upsetting the GIII Saranac S. at 19-1. Stalking from a joint second through a glacial opening quarter in :27.17, the bay sat back a bit in third, letting Embolden (The Factor) move up to contest the pace with leader Don Juan Kitten through a half in :51.54. Under a ride approaching the far turn, Bye Bye Melvin was churning up sod as he brushed with his neighbor Bodecream (Bodemeister) at the top of the lane, but found his...

'TDN Rising Star' Alda got up in the shadow of the wire to take Sunday's Catch a Glimpse S. narrowly over a fellow granddaughter of Speightstown in Dreaming of Drew (Speightster). A fast-finishing third against the boys going five grassy furlongs at Belmont June 12, the chestnut broke through convincingly over an extra eighth of a mile there July 9. Drifting up to 5-2 at the off after vying for favoritism early with big-figure second-out graduate Dreaming of Drew, the Wertheimer homebred dropped out the back early and a snug...

After spending many years helping to teach incarcerated inmates life skills and equine care, a lot of 10 retired Thoroughbreds boarded a van July 23 bound for Pasture of Point Lookout, a Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania-based sanctuary farm founded by world-renowned artist Jamie Wyeth in memory of his late wife Phyllis. On the anniversary of her passing Mr. Wyeth turned to longtime friends, Graham and Anita Motion of Herringswell Stables. "To honor my late wife, Phyllis Mills Wyeth and her Belmont Stakes winner Union Rags, I am transforming our farm into...

Working in racing has always been a stressful occupation; a roller-coaster of emotions, triumphs and tragedies, long hours and travel. Add a global pandemic and unprecedented economic worry, with many participants fearing for their health, livelihoods and businesses, and the stress can become almost overwhelming. It's the sort of topic many people don't like to talk about, but we asked several industry participants to open about what particular GRAHAM MOTION  It is a stressful sport to be involved in, but at the end of the day, it's still a sport....