Graham Motion

Speaking Scout came running late to upset the GI Hollywood Derby Saturday at Del Mar. Cold on the board at 8-1, the gelding broke well from the 10-hole, but was content to race near the back as longshot Evan Harlan (Temple City) carved out opening splits of :24.51 and :49.86. Asked for more approaching the far turn, the bay launched a powerful four-wide rally in the lane, forging clear late to score. Spycatcher held second over Wit. Fourth in both the GIII Kent S. and Bald Eagle Derby this summer,...

The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) has announced the members of its Horsemen's Advisory Group, who were selected from among the more than 250 applications received from hands-on racing participants from across the country. Starting in November, the Advisory Group will convene on a monthly basis to provide feedback to the Authority's executive team and Standing Committees on the implementation and evolution of HISA's Racetrack Safety and Anti-Doping and Medication Control regulations. Members will serve between 1-2-year terms to stagger changes in the composition of the group and to...

Caravel, purchased for $500,000 at last year's Fasig-Tipton November sale, captured her second graded win for the new connections this year when she sauntered clear to the wire to win the GIII Franklin S. at Keeneland Sunday. Sent off the 2-1 favorite, the gray mare sat settled in a tracking third along the rail behind and opening quarter in :21.40. She charged up four wide into the lane and collared pacesetting second-choiceTwilight Gleaming (Ire) (National Defense {GB}) with a furlong to run before skipping clear late. "The mare ran a...

R. Larry Johnson's MGSW True Valour (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}--Sutton Veny {Ire}, by Acclamation {GB}) has been retired and will stand at Northview Stallion Station near Chesapeake City, Md. The Graham Motion trainee was last seen finishing second to dual Breeders' Cup winner Golden Pal (Uncle Mo) by just a head in the GIII Troy S. at Saratoga Aug. 5. The 8-year-old True Valour began his career in Ireland, where he captured the G3 Ballycorus S., and culminated in the U.S., where his wins included the GII City of Hope Mile...

Nagirroc got up late to win the GIII Futurity S. at Aqueduct Sunday and earn an automatic berth in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint. The 7-2 shot sat just in behind the battling Gaslight Dancer and Vacation Dance who contested the pace through fractions of :22.09 and :44.78. Tipped out four wide into the lane, he reeled in the pacesetters in the dying strides to just get the best of a blanket finish. "The main thing was trying to break clean," said winning rider Manny Franco. "That was...

Broken Vow (Unbridled--Wedding Vow, by Nijinsky II) passed away from natural causes Sept. 3 at his birthplace and longtime home, Pin Oak Stud. He was 25 years old. The Pin Oak homebred won nine of 14 career starts, and won or placed in six graded stakes, earning $725,296. Trained by Graham Motion, Broken Vow won the GII Philip H. Iselin H. and GIII Ben Ali S. and placed in the GI Gulfstream Park H., GIII Fayette S., and the GII Meadowlands Cup H. before retiring to start his career at...

Turf breeding in Kentucky stands at critical crossroads, being lately bereft of both its most accomplished stallions in Kitten's Joy and English Channel. The small, quixotic community that remains willing to persevere with grass influences, against a vicious commercial tide, is also grieving another recent loss in Get Stormy. That's why a breakout for Karakontie (Jpn), entering his prime at 11 and standing at no more than $10,000, feels so very timely. After recently fielding three stakes winners in 48 hours, either side of the Atlantic, his first millionaire Princess...

FRANKFORT, KY - After a brief private meeting between attorneys and the hearing officer to discuss "confidentiality" matters, the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission's hearing addressing trainer Bob Baffert's appeal continued, slowly but surely, on Wednesday in Frankfort, KY. While Tuesday's session focused on the KHRC's medication rules, along with those established by the industry's Racing Medication and Testing Consortium (RMTC) and the model rules of the Association of Racing Commissioners International (ARCI), the center of interest Wednesday was the corticosteroid betamethasone itself. The day started off with Dr. Heather Knych,...

Gainesway Stable's Spendarella (Karakontie {Jpn}), a huge second in the G1 Coronation S. at Royal Ascot June 17, put on a show in Saturday evening's GI Del Mar Oaks. Favored at 6-5 after suffering her first career defeat overseas, the New York-bred stalked the early leaders in third, hit the gas while three wide on the far turn, and kicked clear impressively in the stretch to win for fun by 4 1/2 lengths over Bellabel (Ire) (Belardo {Ire}). Spendarella began her career with three straight victories, including Gulfstream's GIII Herecomesthebride...

The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority will be implementing changes to HISA Rule 2276, which pertains to full outer rim shoes and toe grabs. The rule will not be enforced for horses racing on dirt that are shod with traction devices on their hind feet in the form of either a full outer rim shoe or a toe grab, both up to 4mm in height. All other provisions of the rule will remain the same and be enforced Aug. 1 as previously announced. Click here to read the full HISA...

Only one week removed from Hollie Doyle's barrier-breaking success in the G1 Prix de Diane, another young female jockey with French connections has landed in the United States to try her luck. Mickaelle Michel's journey with horses started as many young horse girls do. "From my younger age, I loved horses," the 26-year-old said. "When I was 14, I knew I would like to work with them but I didn't know exactly which job. So I checked the internet and found a jockey school close to my house. I said,...

Hard to keep a rider as talented as Frankie Dettori out of the spotlight and, after a difficult start to the royal meeting, the legendary rider answered his critics aboard Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}), who produced a stunning performance to win the G1 Coronation S. From Dettori bouncing back to Perfect Power (Ire) (Ardad {Ire}) confirming himself one of the fastest horses in training, in doing so sparking debate about where he may stand as a stallion, Brian Sheerin discusses some of the main talking points from another hugely entertaining...