Amo Racing And Omnihorse Racing's Lady Hollywood (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}) had failed to see out the six furlongs of York's G2 Lowther S. when down the field last time Aug. 18, but back over five she was able to dominate ParisLongchamp's G3 Prix d'Arenberg on Thursday. Racing close to the early pace under Mickael Barzalona, the 4-1 shot was committed passing the two-furlong pole and led soon after en route to a 1 1/4-length verdict over Vicious Harry (Fr) (Harry Angel {Ire}). “She's a very fast filly,” trainer Alice Haynes said after greeting her first group winner. “She didn't quite stay the six furlongs last time and we'll probably end up at the Breeders' Cup [Turf Sprint]. She's had a lot of racing, so we'll give her a little break now.”
This was the second black-type win for the chestnut, who had beaten the leading Irish sprint fillies Mauiewowie (GB) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) and Treasure Trove (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}) in the Listed Marwell S. at Naas July 20 having won at Lingfield June 25 and at Beverley July 12. She also provides Whitsbury Manor Stud's first-season sire sensation with a breakthrough first group win as he continues to pour it on in the race for the bragging rights among the newblood sires.
The winner is the last known foal out of a relative of Momalorka (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}), who was the Filly Triple Crown winner in Qatar and finished third in the G3 Firth of Clyde S. The family also features the G1 Queen Elizabeth II S.-winning sire Where Or When (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}).
Thursday, ParisLongchamp, France PRIX D'ARENBERG-G3, €80,000, ParisLongchamp, 9-1, 2yo, 5fT, :55.81, g/s.
1–LADY HOLLYWOOD (GB), 122, f, 2, by Havana Grey (GB) 1st Dam: Dubai Legend (GB), by Cadeaux Genereux (GB) 2nd Dam: Royal Future (Ire), by Royal Academy 3rd Dam: Future Past, by Super Concorde 1ST GROUP WIN. (11,000gns RNA Wlg '20 TATFOA; €25,000 Ylg '21 GOFSPT; 58,000gns RNA 2yo '22 TATBRE). O-Amo Racing & Omnihorse Racing; B-D & S L Tanker Transport Ltd (GB); T-Alice Haynes; J-Mickael Barzalona. €40,000. Lifetime Record: SW-Ire, 7-4-1-0, €80,336. Werk Nick Rating: B+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Vicious Harry (Fr), 126, c, 2, Harry Angel (Ire)–Umneeyatee (Aus), by Encosta de Lago (Aus). (€28,000 Ylg '21 ARQOCT). O-Cuadra Mediterraneo; B-Medya SARL & Tarik Tekce (FR); T-Mauricio Delcher Sanchez. €16,000.
3–Kerindia (Ire), 122, f, 2, Cotai Glory (GB)–Coursing (GB), by Kyllachy (GB). (£24,000 Ylg '21 TATIRY; 65,000gns 2yo '22 TATBRE). O-Peter Trainor; B-Rossenarra Stud (IRE); T-Michael Bell. €12,000.
Margins: 1 1/4, 3/4, HD. Odds: 3.90, 6.10, 4.70.
Also Ran: Exxtra (Fr), Optimal (Ire), Sivana (Fr), Rocket Rodney (GB), Ocean Vision (Ire), Goeva (Fr), Kokachin (Ire). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by TVG.
The Gerry Dilger Equine Scholarship Foundation was set up two years ago by family and close friends in memory of Gerry Dilger. Gerry was a very successful breeder and pinhooker of many top horses, including consecutive GI Kentucky Derby winners Nyquist (Uncle Mo) and Always Dreaming (Bodemeister). More than his equine triumphs, Gerry was a mentor to so many young people through his Dromoland Farm, where he nurtured and assisted them as they commenced their careers in the bloodstock business. In recognition of this, the Foundation was established to grant scholarships to deserving young people with some great help from the Irish National Stud, Kentucky Equine Management Internship (KEMI), Springhouse Farm, Lane's End Farm, University of Limerick, University College Dublin, and the University of Kentucky.
Several scholarships have been awarded to assist in tuition, flights, and visas. Two recipients, Gemma Blumenshine and Roisin Whelan, enjoyed scholarships at the Irish National Stud in 2022 and penned blogs (shown below) detailing their experiences at the famous Kildare nursery.
“My family and I are very proud of the accomplishments of all the scholarship recipients, including Gemma and Roisin,” said Erin Dilger, Gerry's wife. “We would like to express our heartfelt thanks for all the donations and support we have received from so many individuals and farms worldwide. There will be several new scholarships awarded for 2023 and we are also pleased to announce that the inaugural Gerry Dilger Equine Scholarship Foundation Golf Tournament and Auction will be held at Houston Oaks [near Paris, Ky.] on Oct. 10.”
Roisin Whelan's Blog
As the end of June approaches, it is time to reflect on the last six months and my experience of the Irish National Stud Course. I was filled with excitement and delight when it was announced that I had been accepted onto this prestigious course and was honored to have been awarded a scholarship from the Gerry Dilger Equine Scholarship Foundation.
The hands-on aspect of the course comprehensively covered the day-to-day workings of a stud farm, from foaling, to mares and foals, to stallions, we did it all!
One of the highlights of this had to be getting up close and personal with Invincible Spirit (Ire) (Green Desert), who at 25-years-old, still displays the energy and athleticism befitting a stallion of his reputation. I also greatly enjoyed my time spent on night-foaling duty, during which I assisted in bringing 14 foals into the world; surely there must be a champion or two amongst them!
We were provided with lots of educational and interesting lectures, most noteworthy were those of Cathal Beale, CEO of the stud, whose progressive views on the subject of equine business were refreshing and engaging to all the students. With all our assignments handed in and exams complete, it is difficult not to feel bittersweet about the whole experience. We won't miss the homework, but we will miss the people.
In January, all 30 of us were thrown into the deep end when introduced to fellow students with whom we would work, study, eat, sleep, and live with for the duration of the course. The fun we had and the memories made will last us all a lifetime. I am fortunate to have been part of such a fantastic, varied bunch of young people, within which I have made friends for life and can't wait to watch as we all grow and forge careers for ourselves within the industry.
I was extremely lucky to have had Gemma Blumenshine, fellow Dilger Scholarship recipient, as a roommate, as her infectious personality brought me great entertainment over our time together.
Once again, I would like to say a massive thank you to the Gerry Dilger Equine Scholarship Foundation and to the Dilger family for supporting me on this journey. I am massively excited to continue my career and the next step is Springhouse Farm in Kentucky to get a taste of life in America. Onwards and Upwards! '
Gemma Blumenshine's Blog
In the fall of 2021, I was lucky enough to be the recipient of the Gerry Dilger Equine Foundation Scholarship in partnership with KEMI. The scholarship was to send one KEMI intern to participate in the Irish National Stud breeding management program for six months in Kildare, Ireland. It is an honor to be chosen to attend this prestigious program which is now also certified by IT Carlow so the interns also gain university accreditation. In the last six months, I have traveled, visited other farms, seen multiple race tracks, attended daily classes, and worked alongside my 29 fellow interns. The work we have done on the farm has varied throughout the breeding season. I have been able to work with the stallions in the breeding shed, help mares give birth to their new foals on night shifts, and care for growing foals. I have absolutely expanded my skill set and learned so much more about the Thoroughbred industry. The best part for me has been learning about the industry on the European side and learning different ways to do things and especially learning from my peers and their individual experiences.
My view and experience of this industry have been very broadened through the six months on this course and I am so glad I got this opportunity. Throughout this season we foaled 319 mares which is the highest number the Irish National Stud has foaled to date and we learned so much through caring for that high volume. As the season comes to a close, we are going on more field trips to other farms and racing yards as well as taking our final exams and submitting final projects. Our exams span over the many topics we have covered in classes these last few months and are the marker of our time here coming to an end. It has been so rewarding to care for the pregnant mares and help them give birth to watching their foals grow up and become independent. You build such connections with each of the horses as you rotate through each of the yards on the farm and get to work with every single horse. I would not have gotten to participate in any of this if it were not for the Gerry Dilger Equine Scholarship Foundation and I am forever grateful for one of the best experiences of my life.
KHK Racing's once-raced 2-year-old colt Sakheer (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}–Shortmile Lady {Ire}, by Arcano {Ire}), who shaped with a deal of promise when posting a debut second going six furlongs at Windsor last month, was a class above his rivals in Thursday's Auction Finance EBF Novice S. over the same trip at Haydock and attained 'TDN Rising Star' status with a mightily impressive display of raw power. Swiftly into stride for an early advantage, the 1-2 favourite was untroubled from halfway and extended clear in hand to easily rout Acai (Ire) (Kodi Bear {Ire}) by six lengths. The Roger Varian trainee is engaged in Newbury's Sept. 17 G2 Mill Reef S. and the G1 Middle Park S. at Newmarket one week later.
“He ran a great race first time out, he picked up and finished well clear of the third,” commented winning rider David Egan. “We wanted him to have a nice debut, he learnt a lot and came from behind. I expected him to take a step forward and, from halfway, I knew he was a class above the rest. It's been a great job by everyone at home to get him here and to get his win. To do it like that was impressive and the feel he gave me was even more impressive. I don't think I've had an easier race, in any sort of race, since I've been riding. He has a big price tag, he's got some big entries coming up and there is a lot more in the tank. Horses like this make our jobs easier, he's a classy individual and very exciting.”
Sakheer, who was the highest-priced lot when knocked down for €550,000 at this year's Arqana Breeze-Up sale, is the fifth of seven foals and third scorer out of a half-sister to G3 Prix de Meautry winner Indian Maiden (Ire) (Indian Ridge {Ire}), herself the dam of G3 World Trophy victrix Maid In India (Ire) (Bated Breath {GB}) and the dual stakes-winning G3 Prix de Ris-Orangis runner-up Love Spirit (GB) (Elusive City). The February-foaled bay is a half-brother to multiple Group-winning GI Beverly D. S. third Lemista (Ire) (Raven's Pass), a yearling colt by Exceed And Excel (Aus) and a weanling filly by Sea The Stars (Ire).
Bill and Riley Mott sure hope so as Riley takes initial steps toward launching his training career this winter at Oaklawn Park.
Riley has applied for 20 stalls at Oaklawn and is confident he will come close to filling them. He already has secured horses from some clients of his Hall of Fame father while recruiting new owners willing to gamble on a young talent who appears to have every ingredient necessary for success.
“It's something I've been looking forward to since I was a little kid,” said Riley, 30. “I have a lot of feelings about it – excited, anxious, confident, ready.”
Riley has worked closely with his father as his assistant since 2014. He will remain with the operation beyond the Saratoga meet, until the horses he oversees at the upstate New York track are ready to ship to Florida in early November.
Then Riley, his wife, Megan, their toddler, Margot, and their golden retriever, Henry, will pile into their car and head for the house they rented in Hot Springs, Ark., and a venture that holds great promise but no guarantees.
“Some people may think I have a silver spoon or whatever,” Riley said. “But the way I see it is I've had a great opportunity to learn and I'm going to try to capitalize on my opportunity.”
Bill, at 45, became the youngest trainer inducted into the National Museum of Racing's Hall of Fame in 1998. Riley, while understanding the tremendous challenges ahead, is thinking big.
“I want to be as successful as my dad. I walk through his office at home and he's got a trophy case on every wall,” Riley noted. “I want that for myself and for my family. It's motivation for me to hold to the standard that he's held throughout his career.
“While I'm not sitting here saying I'm going to be in the Hall of Fame, I certainly aspire to be. Why wouldn't you shoot for that?”
Riley Mott at Saratoga
Riley's mother, Tina, began taking him to his father's barn at a young age as a way of letting him burn off seemingly boundless energy. Before long, he was insistent on going. When he was a teenager, he would sit in his father's office for hours, listening to Bill preach patience to restless owners, noting how his father dealt with staff, veterinarians, blacksmiths, jockey agents and jockeys, among others.
“I was just a fly on the wall,” he said of an education at least as important as the knowledge he gained as an economics major at the University of Kentucky.
Some race trackers urge their children to pursue other careers because of the difficult lifestyle involved. There were hockey games when Riley searched in vain to find his father in the stands. Riley regularly changed schools as his father moved from one racing circuit to another.
Bill and Tina never discouraged Riley from following what clearly became his passion at a tender age. “I've never, ever stood in his way. I wouldn't have any reason to stand in his way,” said Bill, 69. “I mean, the business has been good to me.”
Riley Mott, shown aboard his pony at Saratoga
According to Equibase, Mott has won more than 5,200 races while his horses have earned in excess of $314 million. He ranks sixth all-time with $19,936,900 in Breeders' Cup earnings. He is tied for sixth with fellow Hall of Famers Shug McGaughey and Richard Mandella with nine wins at the season-culminating championships.
Bill is highly respected throughout the industry. He has done everything possible to impart his philosophy to his son.
“We believe, and he believes, that the basic well-being and health of the horse are primary. They supersede everything else,” the father said. “That's what we do. We're the caregivers and we're the ones responsible for the well-being of these horses.”
Riley sounded very much like his father when he said, “There are different styles of training. We kind of let the horses tell us what they are ready for. If the horse needs time, you give it time. Sometimes it's tough to have patience. But, in the long run, it's really paid off. I've been able to see that over the years.”
Riley admits he was once a young man in a hurry for success before certain horses were.
“I think with age that is something I've become better at, having a certain amount of patience and realizing that they're not machines,” he said. “I've been able to work with horses that needed time and needed a little extra attention and I've seen the payoff of that. That is something I'm glad I improved on.”
Can Riley stay patient if he should struggle early and bills begin to mount? Can he produce enough early results to meet his goal of building his stable to 30 by the time he heads to Kentucky for next season? Can he fulfill his desire to eventually expand well beyond that?
Even as Riley assembles his staff, he knows his horsemanship and other skills will be tested as never before.
“I'm nervous because you want to do well. You don't want to fail. Failure is my biggest fear,” he said. “I think that kinds of motivates me.”
Bill feels sure that his son is ready for whatever the future brings.
“His mother, Tina, and I are very proud of him,” he said. “He's got a great work ethic and he's very responsible. If he continues to work at it as hard as he has to this point, I think he'll do fine.”
Riley will follow his father's business model as closely as possible. Just as Tina oversees the business side for Bill, Megan will fill that role for her husband of almost two years even though she lacks experience. She expects to lean heavily on her mother-in-law.
“I've got a lot to learn,” she said. “I'm looking forward to being part of the team.”
The months ahead will be charged with emotion for everyone involved. Megan said of Riley, “I don't think he is going to have any trouble with the training part. It's going to be mostly leaving his dad.”
Tom Pedulla wrote for USA Today from 1995-2012 and has been a contributor to the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Blood-Horse, America's Best Racing and other publications.
IMPRESSIVE
Sakheer
