Motorious Takes ‘Win And You’re In’ Green Flash Handicap At Del Mar

With jockey Geovanni Franco subbing for injured Umberto Rispoli, Antonio Fanticola's Motorious won a cavalry charge in the stretch run of the Grade 3 Green Flash Handicap at Del Mar on Saturday.

The five-furlong turf dash is a Breeders' Cup Win and You're In Challenge Series race, giving the winner a fees-paid berth in the G1 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint. This year's Breeders' Cup championships will be held at Santa Anita on Nov. 3-4.

Sent off the 5-2 favorite in a field of 12 speedsters, Motorious – a 5-year-old gelding by Muhaarar bred in England – scored by 1 3/4 lengths and covered five furlongs on firm turf in :56.07. Cherubic Factor finished second, a nose ahead of Beer Can Man in third, and Turn on the Jets a half length back in fourth.

Phil D'Amato trains Motorious, along with the third- and fourth-place finishers. Motorious paid $7.20 to win.

Helladic, breaking from the outside post, set early fractions of :21.74 and :44.70 under pressure from Bus Buzz and Fast Buck. Franco had Motorious behind the early leaders, then swung wide into the stretch to launch his winning rally.

The win was the fourth in eight U.S. starts for Motorious, who began his racing career in England. His only previous graded stakes win came in the G3 San Simeon at Santa Anita in March. Motorious finished second behind Nobals in his most recent outing, the G2 TwinSpires Turf Sprint at Churchill Downs on May 6.

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Motorious Motors Home In Green Flash, Earns BC Turf Sprint Berth

Anthony Fanticola's Motorious (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}) rallied smartly through the final furlong and half to prove a much-the-best winner of Saturday's GIII Green Flash H. at Del Mar, sewing up a fees-paid berth into the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint up the road at Santa Anita in early November in the process.

Sent off the 13-5 favorite with Geovanni Franco replacing the injured Umberto Rispoli in the irons, Motorious raced in about seventh position of the 12 runners down the backstretch, but not terribly far off the pace disputed by 60-1 Helladic (Kantharos) and Cal-bred standout 3-year-old Bus Buzz (Stay Thirsty). Kept purposely in the clear for the run around the turn, Motorious was five to six wide off the final corner, kicked it into another gear with a furlong to race and charged home down the middle of the course to score convincingly. Cherubic Factor (The Factor) outfinished the rail-rallying Beer Can Man (Into Mischief) for second.

“I got lucky enough to where Phil would let me work him a few times in the morning so I got pretty familiar with the horse,” said Franco of the chance to ride Motorious. “Being given the opportunity for me was a blessing and of him being open for the race. To get to ride him, it gave me a lot of confidence. And you know what, I didn't know how much he can run in the afternoon, but he can sure run. Phil told me he needed a clear break out of the gate, and he broke like a champion. From then on it was just a matter of time whenever I was going to ask him to go and he sure did.”

A two-time winner in seven English appearances for trainer Stuart Williams before being purchased by Craig Rounsefell's Boomer Bloodstock for 220,000gns at the 2021 Tattersalls Autumn Horses In Training Sale, Motorious made a course-and-distance allowance his first U.S. victory last November and took a down-the-hiller at Santa Anita just after the new year before finishing second to Lane Way (Into Mischief) in the Jan. 29 Clockers Corner S. up north. Popular winner of the GIII San Simeon S. Mar. 5, Motorious was making his first start since rallying into second behind Nobals (Noble Mission {GB}) in the GII Turf Sprint S. at Churchill May 6.

Pedigree Notes:

Motorious is one of 11 group/graded winners for his sire, who was only recently moved to Haras du Petit Tellier to stand as the property of Shadwell and a consortium of French breeders. Motorious's multiple Group 3-placed dam is also responsible for Matters Most (GB) (Advertise {GB}), runner-up in the Listed Ripon Champion Two Yrs Old Trophy S. in August, a now-yearling colt by Sergei Prokofiev (Scat Daddy) that sold for 82,000gns at last year's Tattersalls November Foal Sale and a filly by Ardad (Ire) foaled Mar. 23.

Saturday, Del Mar Thoroughbred Club
GREEN FLASH H.-GIII, $153,500, Del Mar, 9-2, 3yo/up, 5fT, :56.07, fm.
1–MOTORIOUS (GB), 123, g, 5, by Muhaarar (GB)
1st Dam: Squash (GB) (MGSP-Eng), by Pastoral Pursuits (GB)
2nd Dam: Super Midge (GB), by Royal Applause (GB)
3rd Dam: Sabina (GB), by Prince Sabo (GB)
(55,000gns Ylg '19 TATOCT; 220,000gns 3yo '21 TATAHI). O-Anthony Fanticola; B-Kirtlington Stud & Mrs Mary Taylor (GB); T-Philip D'Amato; J-Geovanni Franco. $90,000. Lifetime Record: 15-6-4-2, $388,944. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Cherubic Factor, 120, g, 5, The Factor–Cherub, by Giant's Causeway. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($17,000 RNA Ylg '19 KEESEP; $46,000 2yo '20 OBSOPN). O-Exline-Border Racing LLC, Richard Hausman, William Dan Hudock and Susanna Wilson; B-David DiPietro (KY); T-Peter Eurton. $30,000.
3–Beer Can Man, 122, g, 5, Can the Man–Cheesecake, by Dynaformer. ($9,500 RNA Wlg '18 KEENOV). O-Little Red Feather Racing, Madaket Stables LLC and Sterling Stables, LLC; B-Ron Patterson (KY); T-Philip D'Amato. $18,000.
Margins: 1 3/4, NO, HF. Odds: 2.60, 22.00, 6.50.
Also Ran: Turn On The Jets (Ire), Lane Way, Bus Buzz, Bran (Fr), Silent Poet, Fast Buck, Packs a Wahlop, Helladic, Kid Corleone. Scratched: Barristan The Bold (GB), Mas Rapido (GB), Noble Re
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

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Ancient Rome Strikes For First U.S. Win In Mint Millions At Kentucky Downs

Twice Group 1-placed in France, Kentucky-bred Ancient Rome made an auspicious U.S. debut Saturday when striking for victory in the $2-million Mint Millions (G3) Saturday at Kentucky Downs.

Uncoiling a determined outside rally under Jamie Spencer after rating in fourth then fifth through a half mile, the War Front colt was all out for a half-length triumph over pacesetter Stitched, who outfinished Smokin' T by a head for second.

Ancient Rome returned $15.31 after covering the one-mile trip in 1:33.37 on turf rated as firm.

Trained by Charlie Hills for Mrs. Fitri Hay, Ancient Rome has a 6-3-2 career line from 16 starts. The $1,176,600 winner's share of the Mint Millions purse lifted his lifetime bankroll to $1,528,247.

Bred by Orpendale/Chelston/Wynatt, Ancient Rome is out of the Sadler's Wells mare Gagnoa.

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