Tag: bill mott

Elite Power Goes Out On Top With Successful Title Defense In Sprint

A rivalry in any sport makes it more exciting. People tune in to watch a pair of foes with a well-established history of beating one another give it another go. And so it was that Elite Power (Curlin), in his final start before retiring to stud next year, came home first in front of his long-time rival Gunite (Gun Runner) to defend his title in the GI Qatar Breeders' Cup Sprint.

Last year's Eclipse Champion Male Sprinter, Elite Power kept his good form going into 2023 and defeated Gunite for the first time in the Middle East with a 3 1/4-length score in the G3 Riyadh Dirt Sprint. After winning both the GII True North S. and the GI Alfred G. Vanderbilt H.–defeating Gunite for a second time in the latter–the 5-year-old saw his win streak end at eight races when the tables were turned in his last race and he had to settle for second in the GI Forego S.

Off a two-month layoff, the Bill Mott trainee shipped west for the first time and was given a deserving 8-5 shot on a day that had already seen a pair of horses successfully defend their crowns. With rival Gunite breaking just to his outside, Elite Power broke in a line that only Speed Boat Beach (Bayern) was quick enough to clear. Nakatomi (Firing Line) was not going to let the Baffert runner get an easy lead and the 26-1 longshot surged up along the inside to stick a head in front through a contentious opening quarter in :21.99. Elite Power, running near the back of the field, kept his face clean along the outside and really began to pick it up as Speed Boat Beach again tried to open up on the front end. Moving three wide with an impressive move to draw to within a length of the leading pair at the top of the lane, the Juddmonte runner really turned it on once he switched leads at the eighth pole. Speed Boat Beach and Nakatomi both began to fade along the rail as Gunite surged up but he had to tip outside of that pair for running room as Elite Power was already finding his best stride close to the wire. And, just as they had in their last three starts against one another, Elite Power and Gunite came home one in front of the other. The win gave Juddmonte a second on the day following Idiomatic (Curlin) in the Distaff and was a third win on the weekend for trainer Bill Mott.

“It's a difficult job to keep a horse going year after year,” admitted Mott. “To come back and win two Breeders' Cups in a row says a lot about the durability of the horse and the luck that I have. We were lucky enough to have him and he's had a great career. He's off to his new career which will be in the stud barn and we wish him all the best. Irad [Ortiz Jr.] warmed him up good and he said he wanted to be close to the pace without using him too hard. He recognized all day that the only horse to come from behind was Cody's Wish and he is observant enough to see that. The rivalry with Gunite was there and he certainly showed up. I thought he was the one we had to beat.”

“I had a beautiful trip,” added Ortiz, Jr. “I was in the clear early and the horse took me beautifully right to the quarter pole. I was a good passenger sitting in the passenger's seat until the quarter pole. Then I asked him and he just responded well.”

Pedigree Note:

Elite Power, a $900,000 KEESEP yearling, is one of 55 graded winners, 21 at the Grade I level, for the super-sire Curlin. His dam Broadway's Alibi, a MGSW & GI Kentucky Oaks runner-up and Robsham homebred, brought $2.15 million from Alpha Delta Stables while in foal to Smart Strike at the 2013 KEENOV sale. Broadway's Alibi is also represented by a Curlin colt of 2021. She was bred to City of Light for 2023. Further back in the family, Elite Power's fourth dam is champion 2-year-old filly and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies heroine Eliza (Mt. Livermore). This is also the family of GISW and sire Dialed In (Mineshaft). Elite Power will stand stud for Juddmonte next year at an introductory fee of $50,000.

“I know, Bill [Mott] would like me to say otherwise, but we're going to retire him to stud,” said Juddmonte' Garrett O'Rourke. “I think he's earned it. He's a very masculine horse, and I bet he'll enjoy it. He's got all the credentials to be a tremendous stallion. I think breeders will just swarm to him. Twice, he's surely sewn up the championship two years in a row, and that's pretty special.”

Elite Power's unnamed 2-year-old full-brother, the last reported foal out of Broadway's Alibi, has yet to race but has been spotted on the worktab.

 

Saturday, Santa Anita Park
QATAR RACING BREEDERS' CUP SPRINT-GI, $1,800,000, Santa Anita, 11-4, 3yo/up, 6f, 1:08.34, ft.
1–ELITE POWER, 126, h, 5, by Curlin
         1st Dam: Broadway's Alibi (MGSW & GISP, $521,500), by Vindication
         2nd Dam: Broadway Gold, by Seeking the Gold
         3rd Dam: Miss Doolittle, by Storm Cat
($900,000 Ylg '19 KEESEP). O-Juddmonte; B-Alpha Delta Stables, LLC (KY); T-William I. Mott; J-Irad Ortiz, Jr.. $1,040,000. Lifetime Record: Ch. Male Sprinter, 13-9-1-1, $3,775,711. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Gunite, 126, c, 4, Gun Runner–Simple Surprise, by Cowboy Cal. O/B-Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC (KY); T-Steven M. Asmussen. $340,000.
3–Nakatomi, 126, g, 4, Firing Line–Applelicious, by Flatter.
1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. ($18,000 Wlg '19 KEENOV; $25,000 Ylg '20 FTKOCT; $205,000 4yo '23 FTKHRA). O-Qatar Racing LLC and Hay, Mrs. Fitriani; B-Arnold Zetcher LLC & Crestwood Farm (KY); T-Wesley A. Ward. $180,000.
Margins: 1HF, HF, 1. Odds: 1.70, 3.10, 26.60.
Also Ran: Speed Boat Beach, The Chosen Vron, Hoist the Gold, Dr. Schivel, Three Technique. Scratched: American Theorem.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Godolphin’s Knightsbridge Newest ‘TDN Rising Star’ For Nyquist

Knightsbridge (c, 2, Nyquist–Tyburn Brooke, by Bernardini) aired out in his Churchill Downs debut Saturday to become the newest 'TDN Rising Star' and the second overall for his sire. The Godolphin homebred, a half-brother to GISW Speaker's Corner (Street Sense), was outrun out of the chute and raced covered up against the rail in mid pack. Moving up under his own power, the 5-2 second choice ran into a wall of horses all gunning for the lead and had to check back out of a tight spot right at the half-mile marker. Shuffled back to fifth, James Graham finally had a gap open up for his mount between horses midway around the far turn and, once he said go, Knightsbridge swept up three wide and hit the quarter pole under only a hand ride from Graham. Straightened for the run home, the dark bay was visually impressive, motoring into the final sixteenth to win by as much as he pleased.

Tyburn Brook, though unraced herself, hit a home run with her first foal being GI Carter H. winner and now Darley America stallion Speaker's Corner. Out of a daughter of GI Breeders' Cup Distaff winner Round Pound–who Godolphin purchased for $5.75m as a broodmare out of the 2017 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Sale–Knightsbridge's dam is herself a half to G1SW Long River (A.P. Indy) and to SW/GSP Lake Lucerne (Dubawi {Ire}). Tyburn Brook reported a full-sister to Speaker's Corner this year and visited both Street Sense and Curlin for 2024.

7th-Churchill Downs, $118,875, Msw, 11-4, 2yo, 7f, 1:22.96, ft, 10 1/2 lengths.
KNIGHTSBRIDGE, c, 2, Nyquist
                1st Dam: Tyburn Brook, by Bernardini
                2nd Dam: Round Pond, by Awesome Again
                3rd Dam: Gift of Dance, by Trempolino
Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $69,000. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
O/B-Godolphin (KY); T-William I. Mott. *1/2 to Speaker's Corner (Street Sense), GISW, $739,963.

 

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Happily Ever After for Cody’s Wish Fairy Tale in Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile

What a way to kick off Saturday's Breeders' Cup action as the sport's favorite fairy tale got its happily-ever-after ending. Cody's Wish (Curlin–Dance Card, by Tapit) made it back-to-back GI Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile wins in a dramatic running of the first World Championships race on the card Saturday. Cody's Wish had captured the heart of the racing world last year as the story of his incredibly special connection with Cody Dorman, a boy suffering from Wolf-Hirschhorn Syndrome, emerged and grew. There were few dry eyes among those who witnessed the bay's win in the 2022 Dirt Mile, but in 2023, the sport instead held its collective breath as the fan favorite got mugged at the start and had to survive both a photo finish and an inquiry for the stretch run.

“Sometimes wishes do come true,” said Hall of Famer Bill Mott.

After training exceptionally all week, Cody's Wish got squeezed at the break from both sides in the Dirt Mile and was quickly relegated to the rear of the field. Meanwhile, GI Preakness S. winner National Treasure (Quality Road) went straight to the lead through early fractions of :22.51 and :46.02, as last-out GII Charles Town Classic winner Skippylongstocking (Exaggerator) stalked from second. Still sixth and far back but in the clear with just a half to go, Cody's Wish unleashed a monster move. He split horses, weaving in and out, and finally dipped inside Skippylongstocking as he set his sights on National Treasure, who was still strong and comfortable in front.

“I didn't feel I had the luxury to go around the horses since these are Grade I horses,” said jockey Junior Alvarado. “He was helping me. I was like, 'Let me try to cut the corner a little bit, save some ground since it's moving forward.' I did all that, and right when I tip him out, he was there for me.

“When I got to the other horse, at that point, I just kind of let him know, 'Listen, my job is done right here. Just take me to the last part.' Since I know him, I knew he wasn't going to let that other horse go by once he got in front.”

Cody's Wish (outside) and National Treasure | Horsephotos

Cody's Wish angled outside to collar National Treasure, but the sophomore didn't relent. The two battled down the length of the stretch, bumping repeatedly. The Godolphin homebred got there by a nose, but had to endure a long inquiry as stewards reviewed the contact and finally upheld Cody's Wish as the winner, much to the relief of the crowd. Final time for the race was 1:35.97 as Skippylongstocking held third.

“The fact that he split horses in the turn could have made the difference,” said Mott. “I think, if he goes around, he loses another half-length or so.

“It was a great ride and a great run by the horse. It was a good effort.”

The Dirt Mile marked the eighth win in the last nine starts for Cody's Wish, who was coming off a GII Vosburgh S. victory Oct. 1 after his first loss–a third when stretching out to nine furlongs in the GI Whitney S. Aug. 5 in a less-than-ideal trip–since March, 2022. 'Cody' has captured seven graded stakes, including five Grade Is, and is undefeated in eight starts at a mile. In addition to his 11 visits to the winner's circle, he has never finished worse than third.

The race was Cody's Wish's swan song, as he will be retired to Godolphin's Jonabell Farm near Lexington. Mott and Alvarado also teamed up Friday with Just FYI (Justify) to win the GI NetJets Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, while Mott later got an additional Breeders' Cup win Saturday with Elite Power (Curlin) in the GI Sprint. Godolphin got a second homebred 2023 Breeders' Cup winner shortly after the Dirt Mile with Charles Appleby trainee Master of The Seas (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) in the $2-million Mile.

Bill Mott and Cody Dorman in the winner's circle | Horsephotos

Mott, who was winning his 14th Breeders' Cup with the 2023 Dirt Mile (and later his 15th with the Sprint), reflected on where his other wins, including the 1995 Classic with Horse of the Year Cigar's unbeaten 10-for-10 season, ranked in comparison.

“I think, if it's not the best, it's certainly a dead heat,” said Mott. “It's probably one of the most memorable rides that we've all been on, and I think it's meant so much to so many different people.

“Sometimes it's a small group that gets to enjoy the win, but I think this one's been for a lot of people. We're very thankful for the Make-a-Wish Foundation that brought everything together. Godolphin has been terrific. I mean, the team at Godolphin has been so giving and open, and they were all about it, about this whole story, and they made the story.”

Kelly Dorman, whose son, Cody, is behind the dual Dirt Mile winner's name, added: “It's a blessing I can't–I don't even know if I could– even start to describe. In a lot of ways, I think that horse probably saved Cody's life. I know him and the horse has made a lot of lives better.

“First and foremost, the blessing is today Cody's Wish put his head in Cody's lap. The next blessing is all the people we got to meet, like these guys sitting right here, the fans, the entire horse racing nation has been incredible to us. We're so thankful and grateful for that.”

 

Pedigree Notes:

Two-time Horse of the Year, 2007 Breeders' Cup Classic winner, and extraordinary sire Curlin added to his laurels in a big way Saturday. The Dirt Mile started the day for him with a sixth individual Breeders' Cup win and he later added two more with Idiomatic in the GI Distaff and Elite Power in the aforementioned Sprint. It was the second consecutive year Curlin had three Breeders' Cup winners, a record he set in 2022 and matched this year. That gives Curlin eight individual Breeders' Cup wins, making him the all-time and undisputed leader among Breeders' Cup sires. To add to the embarrassment of riches, none of the three sires who trail him in second were themselves Breeders' Cup winners, unlike Curlin. The remarkable son of Smart Strike will stand for $250,000 in 2024 at Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa. With seven U.S. champions, Curlin has 98 black-type winners worldwide and 55 graded winners, 21 at the highest level.

Dance Card, winner of the 2012 GI Gazelle S. and third in the 2013 GI Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint in the Godolphin colors, produced Cody's Wish and MGSW Endorsed (Medaglia d'Oro). Her 2-year-colt Hunt Ball (Into Mischief) is also in the Mott barn and has twice placed in two starts. She has a yearling filly by Street Sense and a weanling filly by Gun Runner. Dance Card, who was picked up for $750,000 by John Ferguson on behalf of Godolphin out of the Fasig-Tipton February 2-year-old sale in 2011, has been bred back to Curlin for a full-sibling to Cody's Wish in 2024.

Broodmare sire Tapit, who will stand for $185,000 next season at Gainesway, is one of only three sires in Breeders' Cup history to have seven Breeders' Cup wins as a sire. He's done mighty nicely as a damsire as well with 93 stakes winners out of his daughters. Two of the best this year out of his daughters–GI Belmont/GI Travers winner Arcangelo (Arrogate) and GI Kentucky Oaks winner Pretty Mischievous (Into Mischief)–both scratched earlier this week from the Classic and the Distaff, respectively.

Saturday, Santa Anita Park
BIG ASS FANS BREEDERS' CUP DIRT MILE-GI, $890,000, Santa Anita, 11-4, 3yo/up, 1m, 1:35.97, ft.
1–CODY'S WISH, 126, h, 5, by Curlin
                1st Dam: Dance Card (GISW, $502,200), by Tapit
                2nd Dam: Tempting Note, by Editor's Note
                3rd Dam: Tempt, by Devil's Bag
O/B-Godolphin (KY); T-William I. Mott; J-Junior Alvarado. $520,000. Lifetime Record: 16-11-1-4, $3,106,030. *1/2 to Endorsed (Medaglia d'Oro), MGSW, $970,133. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–National Treasure, 123, c, 3, Quality Road–Treasure, by Medaglia d'Oro. ($500,000 Ylg '21 FTSAUG). O-SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Robert E. Masterson, Stonestreet Stables LLC, Jay A. Schoenfarber, Waves Edge Capital LLC and Catherine Donovan; B-Peter E. Blum Thoroughbreds, LLC (KY); T-Bob Baffert. $170,000.
3–Skippylongstocking, 126, c, 4, Exaggerator–Twinkling, by War Chant. ($15,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP; $37,000 2yo '21 OBSAPR). O-Daniel Alonso; B-Brushy Hill, LLC (KY); T-Saffie A. Joseph, Jr.. $90,000.
Margins: NO, 3 3/4, 6HF. Odds: 0.80, 4.80, 11.60.
Also Ran: Charge It, Zozos, Stage Raider, Shirl's Bee. Scratched: Algiers (Ire), Practical Move.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Just F Y I a First BC Winner for Justify In the Juvenile Fillies; Tamara Seventh

One of five Grade I/Group 1 winners for Triple Crown winner Justify in what has been a sensational 2023 season both at home and abroad, George Krirkorian's JUST F Y I (–Star Act, by Street Cry {Ire}) had the widest post position in the field to deal with, but took the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies right to odds-on 'TDN Rising Star' Tamara (Bolt d'Oro), surged past that spent rival at the head of the lane and found the wire first to all but secure a first American championship for Justify. Sent off at generous odds of 7-1 to add the Juvenile Fillies to her latest success through the Aqueduct slop in the GI Frizette S. early last month, the homebred was ridden positively and aggressively by Junior Alvarado and forced Tamara into a testing opening quarter mile in :22.47. Mike Smith was able to give the front-runner a little bit of a chance to catch her breath down the backstretch, as they were able to go the next couple of furlongs in over :24 seconds, but Just F Y I shadowed her every move, and Mike Smith began to get urgent aboard the favorite with better than two furlongs to travel. Meanwhile, Alvarado was riding high on Just F Y I, went by with relative ease and then was fully extended to the wire as 17-1 Jody's Pride (American Pharoah) made things interesting to complete a Coolmore-sired 1-2. Second favorite Candied (Candy Ride {Arg}) plugged home into third. It was a 13th victory overall for Bill Mott, but first in the Juvenile Fillies. Alvarado rode Cody's Wish to his first Breeders' Cup win in last year's GI Dirt Mile. Lifetime Record: 3-3-0-0. O/B-George Krikorian (KY); T-Bill Mott.

 

Friday, Santa Anita Park
NETJETS BREEDERS' CUP JUVENILE FILLIES-GI, $1,840,000, Santa Anita, 11-3, 2yo, f, 1 1/16m, 1:44.58, ft.
1–JUST F Y I, 122, f, 2, by Justify
         1st Dam: Star Act (SP, $147,605), by Street Cry (Ire)
         2nd Dam: Starrer, by Dynaformer
         3rd Dam: To the Hunt, by Relaunch
O/B-George Krikorian (KY); T-William I. Mott; J-Junior Alvarado. $1,040,000. Lifetime Record: 3-3-0-0, $1,317,750. Werk Nick Rating: B+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Jody's Pride, 122, f, 2, by American Pharoah
         1st Dam: Jody's Song, by Scat Daddy
         2nd Dam: Speightful Lady, by Speightstown
         3rd Dam: England's Rose, by Nureyev
1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE, 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. O-Parkland Thoroughbreds and Sportsmen Stable; B-Mr. Steve Weston (KY); T-Jorge R. Abreu. $340,000.
3–Candied, 122, f, 2, by Candy Ride (Arg)
         1st Dam: Toni Tools (SW, $193,339), by Roaring Fever
         2nd Dam: Patine, by Smart Strike
         3rd Dam: Burnish, by Menifee
($165,000 Ylg '22 FTKJUL). O-Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners; B-Buck Pond Farm, Inc. (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher. $180,000.
Margins: NK, HF, 2 3/4. Odds: 7.00, 17.80, 2.80.
Also Ran: Life Talk, Scalable, Brightwork, Tamara, Where's My Ring, Chatalas, Accommodate Eva, Esprit Enchante, Omaha Girl. Scratched: Alys Beach.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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